The Substitute Squad Captain: Revised
by sayo-chan64
Summary: When Kurosaki Ichigo-Capt. of the 5th Squad & Hitsugaya Toushirou-Capt. of the 10th Squad are to evaluate the skills of a new division in the World of the Living, they receive a sudden surprise. What's worse, trouble's a' brewing around the corner!
1. A Mission Stated

**I DO NOT OWN BLEACH: ALL CREDIT GOES TO KUBO-SAMA FOR HIS BRILLIANCE & CHARACTERS. **I appreciate the time everyone takes to read this fanfiction. *Bows in Appreciation*

**AUTHOR'S NOTES & TRANSLATIONS:**

1) "…Demon Arts, Swordsmanship, Flash Step, Hand-to-Hand Combat…"

2) Large gate that bridges Soul Society to the World of the Living

3) "…Old Man…" (In a fatherly term)

4) "Yes Master…"

5) "Boss…"

6) "Karakura Black Panther…"

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**The Substitute Squad Captain**

_Five years after the Winter War, moderate peace was restored to both the Soul Society and Karakura Town, as it had been prior to the eventful battle. Having ultimately defeated Aizen, Kurosaki Ichigo was offered the position as Captain of the Fifth Squad of the Gotei Thirteen. Ichigo quickly finished his last year of high school and gave the excuse of attending a college overseas to cover up his fleeing to the Soul Society. After Ichigo left, it was up to Karin, Jinta, and Ururu to watch out for Karakura Choudai…they didn't expect a few other kids with high reiatsu to join the club. Two Quincy's, One Time Master, an Illusionist, Fire Power, and the Top Three…make up what's called The Substitute Division. One problem…they're not exactly an official division…unless they all pass the tests Ichigo & Toushirou give them. And to further complicate things…the Remainder Army of Arrancar, are planning a little examination of their own—one that requires the examination of Soul Society's entire force…and protective barriers._

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_A Mission Stated:_

_Soul Society:_

_Captains' Meeting Hall:_

"You have all been called here to announce the examination of a small group of Shinigami in Karakura Town. If this group passes said examination they shall be allowed to form a concrete group of Shinigami stationed in Karakura Town to watch over the area. Kurosaki-Taichou proposed this idea three months ago and we have put this plan into action. This small group contains eight members, all of which are capable of slaying Hollow and defeating low level Arrancar." Yamamoto-Soutaichou boomed.

"Eh, why weren't we told about this group when he first mentioned it?" Kyouraku-Taichou asked.

"He was unsure whether or not this group would be successful. After the first month, they proved to be beneficial to us and were allowed to stay intact as long as they abide by our rules and regulations." He replied.

"Kurosaki-Taichou, you may have more intelligence than I had thought." Soi Fon-Taichou complimented.

"I think there was a compliment in there but I'm not sure. Anyways, who's on this squad, I know Urahara-san said Jinta and Ururu were part of it, but I don't know who else." Ichigo questioned.

"We are unsure which is exactly why I am sending you and Hitsugaya-Taichou to proctor this examination." Yamamoto-Soutaichou answered.

"Huh, why is Toushirou being sent along? I can test everyone out just fine on my own." Ichigo snapped.

"Despite you holding your position as Captain for five years, you did not attend the Shino Academy. They are to be graded as if they were attending the Shino Academy. You are to examine each of these Shinigami on their skills and abilities. You are to rate each of them based on their knowledge of Kidou, Zanjutsu, Hohou, and Hakuda (1-Demon Arts, Swordsmanship, Flash Step, Hand-to-Hand Combat). I expect you to not only examine them on their knowledge of those four subjects, but their ability to track and slay Hollow and Arrancar as well. You are to report your findings after each examination." Yamamoto-Soutaichou listed.

"Che fine, when are we leaving?" Ichigo inquired.

"Hitsugaya Toushirou and Kurosaki Ichigo, you are to report to the Senkaimon (2-gate Shinigami pass through from Soul Society to World of Living) at 07:00 hours sharp in two days time." Yamamoto-Soutaichou answered.

"Hai, I accept this mission and shall carry it out accordingly, Yamamoto-Soutaichou." Toushirou accepted.

"Can't wait to start, it'll be fun seeing everyone again." Ichigo smiled.

"Now then, it has also been brought to my attention that…" Yamamoto began.

"Can't wait to go back to Karakura…haven't been there in five years. I wonder how everyone's been doing while I'm here in Soul Society. Actually, I wonder what Yuzu and Oyaji (3-Old Man) have been doing, no, more importantly, what has _Karin_ been doing?" Ichigo wondered.

"It seems that Yamamoto-Soutaichou is discussing our lack of Taichou for the Third and Ninth divisions. We won't be able to find any candidates soon due to the tests; the skill expectancy has been raised since the War. Hyourinmaru, I would like for us to be prepared for this mission; we shall train until midnight if necessary." Toushirou informed.

"Hai Anjii~ (4-Master), I am prepared for any training necessary." Hyourinmaru responded.

"Ah, then we shall begin once this meeting concludes." Toushirou notified.

"…despite him having the basic skills needed to become a Taichou, he has yet to achieve Bankai and thus is unfit to become the Taichou of the Ninth Squad. We shall need to find two Taichou and a Fuku-Taichou soon so that we may reclaim our orderly stature. Unless there are any questions, that concludes this meeting; you are free to return to your respectful Squads." Yamamoto-Soutaichou concluded.

_Seireitei Streets:_

"Heh, don't you think it'll be great to get out of that office of yours Toushirou?" Ichigo smiled.

"Ah, it shall, but that only means more paperwork will pile up while I'm gone. You at least have a hard working Fuku-Taichou, I do not." He grumbled.

"Still a sourpuss huh? You're still a kid so…" Ichigo began.

"Kurosaki…I have told you _numerous_ times: Do _not_ call me a _kid_ or _child_ and you shall address me as _Hitsugaya-Taichou_!" Toushirou roared.

"S…S…Sorry T…Hitsugaya; I'm calling you _Hitsugaya_ because you never call me _Kurosaki-Taichou_." Ichigo snorted.

"That shall due for now. Remember Kurosaki, I am _not_ a child; I am as tall, if not three centimeters _taller_ than you. Do _not_ test me." Toushirou growled before disappearing from sight.

"Sheesh, still touchy on the _kid_ subject…wait, did he say he was _taller_ than me?" Ichigo wondered.

"Yes, he did and he _is_; his hair adds height to his figure." Zangetsu replied.

"Ha, that means you're _short_; Hahaha, King's _short_!" Hichigo laughed.

"Shut up, I'm not _short_ and _hair_ doesn't count when you're measuring someone!" Ichigo shouted.

"Ichigo…who the hell are you talking to?" Renji asked as he came around the corner.

"Huh…Renji…oh…um…no one; I…I'm going back to my Squad. See ya!" Ichigo laughed nervously as he ran away.

"Dammit, I needed to give him something for Karin. I still have no clue how Taichou knows Karin…it's just strange…and scary." Renji sighed.

_Karakura Town:_

_Substitute HQ:_

"Tenshou (5-Boss) said Soutaichou's sending your brother and Hitsugaya-Taichou here to test our skills." Someone said.

"Che, it would've been fine if they just sent Toushi. If Ichi-nii can make it up to Yuzu in three days then I'll let him live, if he doesn't…we'll see what happens to him." A second voice spat.

"Taichou, Urahara-san said they'll be stationed here for _one_ month. He said they're not only here to examine us, but they're supposed to watch how we slay Hollows and Arrancar on a daily basis." A third voice added.

"Heh, they'll he'll have an entire month to make it up to her. If he doesn't make it up to her…we'll see how much he likes fighting me when I let out all my anger. Anger that's been building up for the past five years since he left." The second voice scoffed.

"Well, that's your problem, not ours. We just need to go pick them up tomorrow right?" The first voice asked.

"Yea, but try doing it during lunch; remember what happened last time you left to go fight an Arrancar during class. You failed that test…and that was a fourth of your grade." The second voice advised.

"Ah that's right Jinta-kun; we still have homework we have to do. Oh…shouldn't you be doing…?" The third voice started.

"Shut up Ururu, I'll do my homework tomorrow morning. I've got better things to do tonight…like sleep. See ya' Taichou." Jinta interrupted.

"Baka-Kari, if you don't do well in class…you won't be able to stay on the baseball team, but you knew that right? Plus, doesn't Yuzu get upset when she sees you getting yelled at by our Sensei? You don't want her to cry do you?" The second voice taunted.

"S…S…Shut up, let's go Ururu. Tessai's probably wondering where the hell we are by now since it's like…eleven-fifteen at night." Jinta scowled.

"Hai, Goodnight Taichou. Please, try to get some sleep; your paperwork can get done tomorrow." Ururu smiled.

"If someone helped out with all this then maybe I _could_." The Taichou growled as they glared at Jinta.

"What, it's only a little and plus, I'm always busy." Jinta input before dashing away.

"Goodnight Taichou, have a safe night." Ururu chimed before leaving.

"Yea Goodnight you two," Taichou grumbled, "wish I could have one."

"Oi, since they're coming in two days, do you think we'll still be able to play in the game?" A voice asked.

"Kamikaze, _soccer_ comes before Ichi-nii's sorry face if he can't make it up to Yuzu. I don't really care if he apologizes to me since I know it's hard but, he'll definitely be apologizing to Yuzu. Even if I have to beat him to a pulp, he'll be giving Yuzu the best and biggest apology he's ever given." Taichou replied.

"Heh, whatever you say Taichou. Anyways, for the game, I think we should try wrapping it up quickly so we can go see your brother and kick his ass." Kamikaze suggested.

"I heard the team we're facing is pretty good. They've been defeated in the past, but they've only been defeated twice this year…that's a big feat." Taichou stated.

"Well, they'll be no match for you since you're fast on your feet to begin with. Plus, once they verse the team and we beat them, they'll lose all that potential and confidence they have. You're a _Karakura Kurohyou _(6-Karakura Black Panther) after all." Kamikaze declared.

"True, I'm a Kurosaki…Kurosaki Karin, Captain of the Substitute Squad no less." Karin smirked.

"Good job, you know your name…want a cookie?" Kamikaze joked.

"No, I wanna sleep…so let's go; I've got one more paper to sign and I'll send it out tomorrow." Karin sighed.

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><p><strong>AUTHOR'S NOTES &amp; TRANSLATIONS (AGAIN):<strong>

1) "…Demon Arts, Swordsmanship, Flash Step, Hand-to-Hand Combat…"

2) Large gate that bridges Soul Society to the World of the Living

3) "…Old Man…" (In a fatherly term)

4) "Yes Master…"

5) "Boss…"

6) "Karakura Black Panther…"

I thank _Everyone_ who took the time to read/review this fanfiction. *Bows in Appreciation*

~sayo-chan ^_^


	2. Return to Karakura

**I DO NOT OWN BLEACH: ALL CREDIT GOES TO KUBO-SAMA FOR HIS BRILLIANCE & CHARACTERS.** I appreciate the time everyone takes to read this fanfiction. I hope you're enjoying the newer version of _The Substitute Squad Captain_.

**AUTHOR'S NOTES & TRANSLATIONS:**

1) "God…"

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><p><strong>The Substitute Squad Captain<strong>

_Recap:_

"_You have all been called here to announce the examination of a small group of Shinigami in Karakura Town. If this group passes said examination they shall be allowed to form a concrete group of Shinigami stationed in Karakura Town to watch over the area. Kurosaki-Taichou proposed this idea three months ago and we have put this plan into action. This small group contains eight members, all of which are capable of slaying Hollow and defeating low level Arrancar." Yamamoto-Soutaichou boomed._

"_I think there was a compliment in there but I'm not sure. Anyways, who's on this squad, I know Urahara-san said Jinta and Ururu were part of it, but I don't know who else." Ichigo questioned._

"_We are unsure which is exactly why I am sending you and Hitsugaya-Taichou to proctor this examination." Yamamoto-Soutaichou answered._

"_True, I'm a Kurosaki…Kurosaki Karin, Captain of the Substitute Squad no less." Karin smirked._

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_Return to Karakura:_

_Two Days Later:_

_Tenth Division Office:_

"Matsumoto, there are to be _no_ wild drinking parties, _no_ leaving all the work for the rest of the squad, and _no_ using our division funds for your stupid shopping sprees. You are to assist Hojimura-san and Takumi-san in training our new rookies as well." Toushirou listed.

"Hai Taichou…Oh Taichou, can you get these for me…and this, oh and this…hmm I could wear these too but…no wait these look so much…Taichou?" Rangiku rambled.

"Kami-sama (1-God), does she _ever_ think about _anything_ else besides drinking, parties, clothes…and her…_food_?" Toushirou wondered as he reached the Senkaimon.

"Anjii, I suggest you at _least_ bring her one of the items she requested. It may prevent her from pouting and slacking more if you return with nothing." Hyourinmaru advised.

"Ah, I'll take you up on that suggestion." Toushirou retorted.

_Fifth Division Office:_

"All right I'll be back in a few days Kino-kun, try to keep the Squad together all right?" Ichigo smiled.

"Yes Sir, I shall try my best." Kino replied.

"No need to be so formal; you know I hate formalities. Oh, and once you're done with that stack of paperwork, can you drop this off at this address please? She's an old friend and today's her birthday…well…what we call her birthday. Oh, and don't forget to clean the place…Yama-Ossu-san is coming to see how clean it is." Ichigo listed.

"Yes Sir, I shall complete all orders accordingly. I wish you a successful mission." Kino grinned.

"Thanks, oh and one more thing…no parties but, have fun." Ichigo smirked before running off.

_Senkaimon:_

"Kurosaki, you're _late_. Yamamoto-Soutaichou said to be here at 07:00 hours _sharp_; you are seven minutes _late_. I doubt you…" Toushirou snarled.

"Relax T…Hitsugaya, I was telling Kino-kun what to do while I'm gone. Sheesh, give a guy a break; anyways, let's go. Oh, here are the esc…Jinta, Ururu!" Ichigo spat.

"Oi Ichigo wait I forgot to…Redhead, Ururu?" Another voice called.

"Eh, yo Moocher, how's it been since you last visited our world?" Jinta laughed.

"Mou Jinta-kun, you shouldn't make fun of Abarai-san; he's stronger than you." Ururu chided.

"Ah sh…nothing U…Ururu, I was just apologizing. Sorry…Moocher." Jinta stammered.

"I'm no Moocher; I haven't been to Urahara-san's shop in five _years_!" Renji shouted.

"Um, can we please leave? We're still in the middle of school, and I doubt our Kaizaku Konpaku will be able to pass any tests. Not to mention all of this is quite childish." Ururu intervened.

"Whoa, you've changed quite a bit haven't you Ururu-chan? I remember you used to…" Ichigo started.

"Enough, we were expected to leave twenty minutes ago. Enough of this reminiscing, you'll have time to do that once we enter the World of the Living. Tsumugiya-san, Hanakari-san, please lead the way." Toushirou cut across.

"Thank you Hitsugaya-Taichou, I didn't wish to use my Kidou skills here. Goodbye Abarai-san, please tell Kuchiki-san I said hello." Ururu smiled before passing through the Senkaimon.

"See ya' 'round…Moocher!" Jinta shouted before dashing after Ururu.

"See ya' Renji, watch out for Rukia for me! And watch over my Squad; see ya!" Ichigo called.

"Yea whatever; say hi to Karin and Yuzu for me!" He called back.

"Goodbye Abarai, you should return to your Squad." Toushirou informed.

"Oh wait Hitsugaya-Taichou," Renji asked, "can you give this to Ichigo to give to Karin please? I forgot to give it to him earlier yesterday and just now."

"Yes, I shall." Toushirou replied before leaving.

"Thanks Hitsugaya-Taichou; have fun!" Renji grinned before dashing off.

"Have fun…what about this mission shall be fun?" Toushirou wondered.

_Urahara Shoten:_

"Ah Kurosaki-kun, Hitsugaya-Taichou, to what do I owe the pleasure of meeting you two here?" A voice chuckled.

"Urahara-san…it feels great to be back in this basement again." Ichigo sighed.

"Save it Urahara-san, we're simply here for our usual Gigai. Obviously you've been informed of our mission and if not, we are to examine the skills of this new group of Shinigami." Toushirou snapped.

"Heh, well you already know us; so we'll introduce the other members and…Taichou _might_ show up…if she doesn't have things to do." Jinta snickered.

"Mou Jinta-kun, that's not nice; Taichou's a very busy person." Ururu pouted.

"Save it Ururu; anyways let's get back to school. I haven't finished eating lunch and Yuzu made me some; it's sacred food!" Jinta snapped before running towards the ladder.

"Huh, why the hell did _Yuzu_ make _him_ a bento?" Ichigo questioned.

"Ah yes, I forgot to mention that Jinta is _dating_…" Kisuke started.

"Get back here you little bastard! I'll rip you into little pieces!" Ichigo roared as he ran towards the ladder.

"As brash and loud as ever, I wonder how you put up with him Hitsugaya-Taichou." Kisuke chuckled.

"I _don't_, I don't converse with him much. As I stated before; I'd like my usual Gigai." Toushirou repeated.

"Yes Yes, I'll get it." Kisuke sighed.

After a few moments, Kisuke returned with Toushirou's gigai and handed it off to him—finally Toushirou would have time to relax, mostly at least. He quickly climbed the ladder and headed for the front door, not even bothering to greet Tessai, as he was busy thinking as usual. He left, and dashed off towards his usual _"thinking spot,"_ the street railing.

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><p><strong>AUTHOR'S NOTES &amp; TRANSLATIONS (AGAIN):<strong>

1) "God..."

I thank _Everyone_ who took the time to read/review the newer version of this fanfiction. I hope it's to your liking, I tried to stick as close to the original as I could. Thanks once again for reading!

~sayo-chan ^_^


	3. In Battle Intros

**I DO NOT OWN BLEACH: ALL CREDIT GOES TO KUBO-SAMA FOR HIS BRILLIANCE & CHARACTERS.** I appreciate the time everyone takes to read this fanfiction. *Bows in Appreciation*

**AUTHOR'S NOTES & TRANSLATIONS:**

1) "Swim, Flounder!"

2) "…Claws of Fire." (Bird claws)

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><p><strong>The Substitute Squad Captain<strong>

_Recap:_

_After a few moments, Kisuke returned with Toushirou's gigai and handed it off to him—finally Toushirou would have time to relax, mostly at least. He quickly climbed the ladder and headed for the front door, not even bothering to greet Tessai, as he was busy thinking as usual. He left, and dashed off towards his usual "thinking spot," the street railing._

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_In-Battle Intros:_

Toushirou had been sitting quietly as he gazed out at the horizon, but let out an exasperated sigh when his cell phone beeped. Unfortunately an Arrancar had come and interrupt his time not too far from his position in a nearby children's park. He popped a Gikon pill into his mouth and sped off towards the threat, only to find it was being handled by two other Shinigami—no doubt from the _Substitute Squad_. He lingered above them for a few moments, simply observing the fight and learning their names, before jumping in to help—he was to collect data as part of his mission after all.

_Children's Park:_

"Hahaha, so this is the strength of the _Substitute Branch_ huh? You're not even _worth_ me drawing my sword!" The Arrancar bellowed.

"Dammit, he's good…damn _Level Three_." Umemiya growled.

"You'll die if you lose focus Kasu-chan; keep your eyes on his fists for the time being. Better yet, get those kids out of here any way you can. I've…" Fujiwara instructed.

Fujiwara's instructions were cut short when the enemy's fist made contact with her chest. She flew back two meters into a swing set—breaking her arm—but nevertheless, did not give up the fight. Despite her great worry for Fujiwara, Umemiya continued to herd the children away, coming up with any excuse she could.

"Heh, is this the best you can do?" The Arrancar taunted.

"Like hell I can; I'm better than this!" Fujiwara shouted.

The pair engaged in a battle, swords clashing, blood spilling, sweat dripping, until a second Arrancar appeared. By the time Umemiya had returned to Fujiwara, she found her friend in a terrible bind: she was pinned to a tree by her throat by one Arrancar who continuously punched her, while the other twirled her Zanpakutou in their hand.

"Etsuko, hold on!" Umemiya shouted.

"Ho~, I heard you guys fight in pairs. Unfortunately we know your rank and names. You're Umemiya Kasumi, unranked since there are only eight of you guys, but you'd be last ranked. This girl's Fujiwara Etsuko, and even if she's unranked, she's stronger than you, that Quincy boy, and that blue-haired kid. We don't know your abilities, but we can analyze your reiatsu thanks to these glasses Kii-Ban-sama made us." The second Arrancar droned.

"Special…glasses…what the hell? I don't give a damn about rank; that's not a concern here at the _Substitute Division_!" Umemiya shouted as she lunged at the second Arrancar.

Having expected the attack, the Arrancar side-stepped the attack and instead launched one of their own. Their elbow went barreling into Umemiya's ribcage and their heel onto her toes. She fell to the ground but wasn't deterred from her goals: she _would_ slay the Arrancar.

"Bakudou #1 Sai! Hadou #33 Soukatsui!" Umemiya shouted.

Fortunately, the Kidou spells had hit their mark and blasted the taunting Arrancar into his comrade choking Fujiwara. Together, the two Arrancar flew into the jungle-gym, but unfortunately neither sustained any major injuries. The two enemies dashed towards the girls and appeared at their sides; now with their Zanpakutou drawn, Umemiya and Fujiwara were prepared to defend themselves, but unfortunately the Arrancar were too quick for Fujiwara. Fujiwara fell to the floor as one Arrancar slashed at her shoulder then grabbed her hair and threw her at a steel-framed garbage can. Despite her injuries, both girls were gifted with a large amount of stamina so Fujiwara still stood her ground and was lucky to land a few hits on her opponent. Umemiya raised her Zanpakutou overhead and slammed it down into the ground, chanting an incantation as she did so, and let the Earth split open and flames spill out. The flames scorched the ground on their way to the Arrancar, but unfortunately she was battling against someone far out of her reach: she was battling a water-wielder.

"Heh, so…you use fire to kill everyone off huh? Well, I'll be your biggest problem then; I've got all the water I need on my side." The Arrancar boasted.

"Che, you'll only be able to extinguish my flames if you can make the cut. Just _try_ and put all my flames out!" Umemiya shouted.

"Nado, Platija (1-Swim, Flounder)!" The Arrancar called.

"S…Shit, this guy's got some incredible power. Whatever, I'm Umemiya Kasumi and I've got to," Umemiya thought, "defeat this guy. I can't take all day…and I've still got all of my vacation to look forward to. There's no way I'm dying today, not by _his_ hand!"

"Souten ni Zase, Hyourinmaru!" Someone shouted.

"Huh, who the hell…?" The Arrancar began.

"I'm captain of the Tenth Squad, Hitsugaya Toushirou. I have something to do this evening, and it involves these two girls; let's finish this quickly then." Toushirou announced.

"Someone from the Gotei Thirteen sent here to help you guys out? Didn't know you guys got that weak…guess…" The Arrancar cackled.

Amidst his cackling, Umemiya took the opportunity to launch another attack, successfully burning a scar from their left thigh to the right side of their face. While they howled in pain Toushirou launched his own attack and froze the enemy. Seeing a second opportunity, Umemiya ran towards the frozen figure only to be taken aback when Toushirou used his crescent sickle and broke off the Arrancar's arm. He used his Shunpo to appear near the enemy and sliced it in half, finishing the battle for the day. While Toushirou and Umemiya had been battling, Fujiwara and her opponent had been exchanging blows left and right. As the enemy's partner died, their attention was temporarily shifted which allowed for Fujiwara to attack. Thankfully, she was successful in her attacks and was able to defeat the enemy without much struggle. Once both battles had finished, the girls introduced themselves, apologized for their poor battle tactics and disappeared without a trace of reiatsu. Having nothing else to do until nightfall, Toushirou settled to patrolling the area despite the lack of Hollows and Arrancar over the last few months.

_On Patrol:_

"So, I know of Umemiya Kasumi, Fujiwara Etsuko, Hanakari Jinta, and Tsumugiya Ururu. There," Toushirou thought as he patrolled the skies, "are only four other members I don't know of."

"That is not true Master; do you not suspect that Kurosaki Karin is amongst this small group?" Hyourinmaru input.

"I do, but my assumptions have yet to be confirmed. Hmm, we should go since it's nearly sundown and…" Toushirou replied.

"Hee Hee, what do we have here?" A voice giggled.

"Looks like a _Captain_ from the Gotei Thirteen to me. Hmm, wonder how strong you are…doesn't matter." Another voice chuckled.

"We…W…We should wat…watch out y…y…you guys. I…I…I don't like…" A third voice stuttered.

"Oh shut up Brogan, you and your crappy stuttering make it hard to understand you! You're such an idiot yet you're a freaking _Level Two_!" The second voice roared.

"I…I…I'm s…s…sorry. H…H…His eyes are…are s…" Brogan stuttered.

"Ah, I've been told since I was a child that my eyes are quite frightening. I'm Hitsugaya Toushirou, Captain," Toushirou introduced, "of the Tenth Squad of the Gotei Thirteen; I hope to finish this battle soon."

"Hee Hee, I'm Gulzar Mahmood; pleasure to meet you Hitsugaya-Taichou." Gulzar giggled.

"Doesn't matter what…" The second started.

"Hee Hee, his name is Iseul Kwang-Tae and that's Brogan Smith; sorry, Iseul's a bit rude and somewhat an asshole." Gulzar giggled.

"Gulzar you bitch shut," Iseul shouted, "the hell up! He doesn't need to know my name if he's gonna die!"

"I…I…I…Is…Iseul…h…h…he's coming!" Brogan alerted.

Just as Toushirou's blade crashed down on Iseul, Gulzar's blade came into contact with his wrist. She held her blade firmly against his wrist, daring him to strike, making him successfully back down. She took too much time priding herself in her effort to save Iseul and was rewarded by slamming into a building. As she flew through the air, Brogan darted after her while Iseul busied himself with Toushirou. The two men battled on while Brogan and Gulzar stayed out of reach, watching the battle and observing its progress.

"So _this_ is what Jun's planning to do huh? She sends you guys in teams to watch how we fight so she can get info about us. Nice strategy but, it doesn't work while someone else is watching the battle…especially if they're on the other side." A voice commented.

"W…W…Who…?" Brogan stuttered.

"Heh, Jun didn't tell you about me? I'm Kurosaki Karin, Captain of the Substitutes…pleased to fight you…if you want. Otherwise, you can go back to Hueco Mundo and tell Jun," Karin grinned, "stop plotting something. I _know_ she's plotting something…she wouldn't be sending so many of you guys here if she wasn't. Well, at least not how many of you guys that have been coming at least."

"Hee Hee, too bad…we can't go back without enough data on that guy. Since he's new around here, we…" Gulzar started.

"Unfortunately, he's _not_ new; he's been here every few months the last three years. He was pulled back right before our little squad was formed so, he's pretty capable around here. I bet he'll freeze your friend over there pretty soon. Anyways, are you two going to _leave_ or are we going to _fight_?" Karin rambled.

"Hee Hee, we can't just abandon our mission so…we're going to have to fight I guess. Come on Brogan," Gulzar giggled, "you should go sit over there so…Brogan?"

"Y…Y…You can't…can't f…f…fight her a…and…and Iseul is…is going to…going to lose." Brogan stuttered.

"Hee Hee, I don't get what you mean? Are you saying I'm not strong enough? Hee Hee, don't be silly; she doesn't have much reiatsu to begin with. You're probably a low-ranking Shinigami sent here with that white-haired guy right?" Gulzar giggled.

"Nope, I'm at least Lieutenant Rank in Soul Society, but I'm Captain Rank down here. Anyways, you," Karin clarified, "should listen to your friend. What level are you anyways…Brogan?"

"I…I…I'm…I'm a l…_Level Two_." Brogan stuttered.

"Damn…_Level Twos_ this early…what the hell is she planning? Shit, we better get going with this battle. If I defeat Brogan, then maybe I'll be able to get rid of this girl later." Karin thought.

"We'll do what we have to; we're here to stop them from getting information on your little Knight in Icy Armor right?" A voice teased.

"Shut up Kamikaze, I'm being serious here! Anyways…it's better if I take care of both of them at the same time but…that'll be hard without using my mask." Karin snapped.

"Heh, just use it then! There," Harin screamed, "haven't been any strong Arrancar to take on so I haven't gotten out much! Let me out, Let me out!"

"All right, All right, just shut up with your screaming. Heh, let's do this guys." Karin smirked.

"Yea, but let's do it fast…can't be staying out here too long. It doesn't look good if the _Captain_ is late." Kamikaze added.

"Heh, let's get this…on the go." Karin challenged.

"Hee Hee, as you wish…Vizard-Taichou." Gulzar giggled.

A battle broke out between Karin and Gulzar, ending in a victory for Karin. Brogan, who was more of the observer, glanced over to see Toushirou and Iseul were still fighting and by the looks of it, Iseul was not going to win. In such a case, she simply stayed put, but darted off towards a skyscraper when Karin's blade nicked her cheek. Brogan called it quits when she watched as Iseul was captured and shattered by Toushirou's ice—thus the battles were concluded.

"I'll…I'll…s…see…see you ne…next time K…Kurosaki-Taichou." Brogan stuttered before opening and Gargantua and fleeing to Hueco Mundo.

"Kurosaki, it seems my assumptions were confirmed. You _are_ indeed part…" Toushirou began as he appeared beside Karin.

"Yea, I'm the Captain; I'm a Kurosaki after all. Anyways, the Squad should be heading over towards Urahara's and it's not good if the Captain's late." Karin cut across.

"Ah, then let us go." Toushirou agreed.

"You still have things to do you know. For example, you still have those files for Urahara on the desk at the office!" A voice shouted.

"Shit, I forgot about those. Sorry Toushirou, you can go ahead I forgot something in my office. I'll see you in a bit, Bye!" Karin called as she scampered away.

"Well, one thing's for sure…I met the Captain." Toushirou thought as he continued on his way.

_Urahara Shoten:_

_Basement:_

"Toushirou sure is late for someone so punctual. Maybe he ran into an Arrancar or Hollow…" Someone said aloud.

"Kurosaki-kun, it seems you still have yet to acquire the ability to track reiatsu. He was recently met by three Arrancar; fortunately he had help from another, the last, member of this Squad to help him out. Ah…he's at the front door right now. Hanakari-kun, please escort him down here." Another voice rambled.

"Sure thing Tenshou…although he can probably find the place himself." Jinta grumbled.

"Hitsugaya-Taichou's already down here Tenshou, he's climbing down the ladder right now." Jinta announced.

"Ho~, it seems he's hiding his reiatsu now I guess." Kisuke mused.

"Toushirou, you're late…and so is the last member of this Squad. Urahara-san said you…" Ichigo began.

"Yes, I was attacked by three Arrancar…considered to be _Level Twos_. Besides that, the last member, the _Captain_ told me she would be back soon, she simply forgot something," Toushirou interrupted, "she had to do. Now then, let's begin the introductions. And for the last time Kurosaki, my name is _Hitsugaya-Taichou_ or _Hitsugaya_, not _Toushirou_."

"Yea yea whatever," Ichigo sighed, "all right, so let's start the intros."

One by one, the squad members introduced themselves while waiting for their Captain to arrive. Even after the introductions, Karin _still_ had yet to arrive, so Ichigo voted for the idea of moving on and hosting the first examination.

"All right, we'll take whoever wants to go first." Ichigo announced.

"Actually Kurosaki-Taichou, our Taichou said we'd be doing this in order of our strength. That means it'll be Umemiya, me Fujiwara, the _Twins_, Tsumugiya-san, Hanakari-san, and then Taichou. She also said that both you and Hitsugaya-Taichou will alternate between proctoring exams. You will go first since you voted to…" A Shinigami explained.

"Oi, isn't it a bit weird to try holding an examination of a Squad without its Captain?" A voice asked suddenly.

"Huh well the…Karin," Ichigo exclaimed, "what're you doing here? W…W…Why are…you're…you're a Shinigami…and the _Captain_ of this Squad too?"

"Ah, but before we do _my_ introduction….I've got something I want to show you." She informed.

"Wh…?" Ichigo started.

Unfortunately, Ichigo's words were cut short when Karin's fist made contact with his stomach. She retracted her fist and launched her left foot at his side and used her right heel to jab downward into his feet. He howled in pain from the attacks, but nevertheless stood his ground, having subconsciously expected the greeting. She struck her fists and feet against his body, delivering the harsh blows with the pent up anger of five years onto him. Finally, Jinta walked over and pulled her away, then launched his fist at her, only to have it caught by Toushirou, severely irritated with everyone's behavior.

"If all is over, then we have examinations to hold. Umemiya-san, I believe _you_ are the first to go according to Utada-san's ranking." Toushirou stated.

"Hai, but is Kurosaki-Taichou capable of fighting me in his current state?" She questioned.

"Sure thing kid, I'm fine. I've been through worse and survived so this doesn't hurt as much…but I think I'll have more bruises than needed tonight." Ichigo grunted.

"You deserve each and _every_ one of them. Yuzu cried every night in her sleep for the past _four years_. Not four _months_, not four _days_, or _weeks_, or _hours_, but _years_! She's been crying for _four years_ Ichi-nii, and do you know who she was crying for? She was crying for _you_! I hope you give her the _biggest_ and _best_ apology I've ever heard of or they'll be looking for a new Captain. You got that?" Karin threatened.

"Hai…I'm sorry Karin…I didn't mean to make her cry…or _you_." Ichigo whispered.

"Ichi-nii, one thing that hasn't changed about me is: _I don't cry_." Karin lied as she walked past him with her head down.

"You also owe _her_ an apology Kurosaki-san." Jinta snarled, making it clear he was not using Ichigo's title.

"Ah, I know…I'll make it up to _both_ of them. Anyways, let's get going Umemiya-san." Ichigo beamed.

"Oh Kurosaki-kun, I didn't know it was you they were sending down. How's Kuchiki-san…and have you seen Tatsuki-chan up there at all?" A voice questioned.

"I…Inoue, well…you're Ishida-san now I guess. Rukia's fine and I didn't know Tatsuki was dead until this morning. I'll look for her when I get back though." Ichigo assured.

"Thank you Kurosaki-kun. Ah Mao-chan, Yasu-kun, I've brought the finished outfits your father made." Orihime sang as she moved towards her children.

With Orihime running off to her children, Toushirou walked towards Urahara, Tessai, Yoruichi, and the rest of the _Substitute Squad_ to watch the match begin. Ichigo and Umemiya Kasumi ran out onto the open battle field, ready to begin the first examination.

"Are you ready; I'll be fighting you as if…?" Ichigo began.

"Kurosaki, remember we are here to grade them as if we were teaching at the Shino Academy. You are to treat her as if she was a threat, but you are not, by any means, to destroy or kill her." Toushirou said suddenly, having appeared between the pair.

"Yea yea I know how I'm supposed to grade her. Now get off the field T…Hitsugaya." Ichigo snapped.

"I'm ready when you are Kurosaki-Taichou." Umemiya announced.

"Heh, so fix that stance of yours and we'll start." Ichigo baited.

"Done, let's go." Umemiya smirked.

"Here I come!" Ichigo shouted as he darted for the girl.

Thankfully he hadn't been using his full speed and Umemiya was able to parry with him. They held their swords together, each vying to throw back the other, and after a few minutes, Umemiya succeeded and was able to release her Zanpakutou.

"Burn it black, Kagizume no Hi (2-Claws of Fire)." Umemiya called to her Zanpakutou.

* * *

><p><strong>AUTHOR'S NOTES &amp; TRANSLATIONS (AGAIN):<strong>

1) "Swim, Flounder!"

2) "…Claws of Fire." (Bird claws)

As usual, I thank _Everyone_ who took the time to read/review the newer version of this fanfiction. I hope everything was too your liking... Thanks for reading once again! *Bows in Appreciation*

~sayo-chan ^_^


	4. You Pass Sort Of

**I DO NOT OWN BLEACH: ALL CREDIT GOES TO KUBO-SAMA FOR HIS BRILLIANCE & CHARACTERS.** I appreciate the time everyone takes to read this fanfiction. *Bows in Appreciation*

**AUTHOR'S NOTES & TRANSLATIONS:**

1) "…Claws of Fire." (Bird claws)

2) Long-handled sword, that looks like a spear

3) "Blazing Blades of Fire!"

* * *

><p><strong>The Substitute Squad Captain<strong>

_Recap:_

"_Here I come!" Ichigo shouted as he darted for the girl._

_Thankfully he hadn't been using his full speed and Umemiya was able to parry with him. They held their swords together, each vying to throw back the other, and after a few minutes, Umemiya succeeded and was able to release her Zanpakutou._

"_Burn it black, Kagizume no Hi _(1-Claws of Fire)_." Umemiya called to her Zanpakutou._

* * *

><p><em><span>You Pass…Sort Of:<span>_

__Spectators:__

As the others watched, Jinta, despite his personality, was trying to summarize the ending of the battle. Due to the large difference in skill and years of experience, Jinta surmised that Umemiya was going to lose—letting out a childish snicker—and directed his attention elsewhere, such as training.

"Oi Jinta, where're you going?" Karin asked.

"To train, Umemiya's got a lot to learn if she's going up against your brother. She's gonna lose; she'll probably pass if she can impress him, but she won't win." He replied.

"True, but, we're not here to win. We're here to _pass_; plus…you can't win every game." Karin stated.

"Ah, then I'm heading off to train…Utada, come fight me." Jinta informed.

"Why do _I_ have to help?" Utada whined.

"Because you're up after Fujiwara; Karin's brother isn't going to go easy on anyone. He's pretty hardcore if he wants to be; he destroyed…well stopped Aizen after all. Now come on, if you're gonna verse him you should train first." Jinta explained.

"Utada, go, he's being serious." Karin instructed.

"Hai Taichou, I'm going. Tell me who wins please; good luck Fujiwara." Utada sighed before following after the redhead.

"Thanks Utada, I'll keep that in mind. Don't worry, Kasu-chan's gonna pass…she _has_ to. I think we'd like to go to college…not to another place like _High School_." Fujiwara chuckled.

"Well, if we fail and have to attend the _Shino Academy_, then it'll be like a type of college in a sense. We'll have to stay there for four years and they provide dorms, food, and have training grounds and Dojo too." Karin listed.

"You must attend the Shino Academy for _six_ years Kurosaki." Toushirou corrected.

"Well, then it'll be more like a boarding school instead of…well, you can go to college for six years too though. Oh well, whatever; bottom line is: you fail, you go to Shino Academy; you pass, you do whatever the hell you were going to do with your life." Karin declared.

"Can't you graduate from the Academy _earlier_ than six years?" Ururu asked.

"Yes, but that is only if the Sensei there see you fit to graduate ahead of your class. I graduated in one year so graduating early is a possibility…if you can meet the new standards." Toushirou explained.

"They heightened the bar or something?" Yoruichi asked.

"Yes, after the War, Yamamoto-Soutaichou thought it best to have the graduates at a higher level than those of previous years." Toushirou answered.

"Hmm, seems normal. Whatever, I've still got some things for Urahara to send out. I'll be back in a flash." Karin announced before leaving.

"Um, Hitsugaya-Taichou…you look…_interested_ in Taichou. What're you thinking if I may ask?" Ururu questioned.

"I'm _not_ interested in Kurosaki, I was simply wondering what she must send to Urahara." Toushirou lied.

"You know that is a blatant lie. I doubt it shall fool this girl; she seems quite perceptive. You _are_ intrigued by her, but not only because her skills are interesting and the change she has undergone over the last five years is amazing, but you still recall the times she's slipped into your office no?" Hyourinmaru snorted.

"Ah, she would constantly sneak into my office simply to bother me. I don't remember her being a Captain back then though." Toushirou replied.

"This group was not formed until recently; she had last visited you last year on your birthday. Do you not remember Master?" Hyourinmaru explained.

"I _do_ remember; she and Matsumoto locked me out of my office and made me watch the sunset…that wasn't the worst though. When Matsumoto came near us, completely drunk was the most annoying." Toushirou answered.

"True…oh…it looks as though Hanakari-san was right…she will _not_ win this battle." Hyourinmaru input.

_Umemiya & Ichigo:_

"Heh, he's stronger than he lets on." Umemiya thought.

"That's because he's a Captain. You're nowhere _near_ Captain Level…you're only good for about five minutes by yourself against a _Level Three_. That's why you were defeated earlier today. You still need to train; you won't surpass Fujiwara and Utada if you don't try." A voice chided.

"I know Katsurou, but all I have to do here is pass the exam. I heard he was bad against Kidou…I think I can turn this to my advantage." Umemiya replied.

"I will restrain your power if you use any Kidou above level 40." Katsurou threatened.

"I know I know…I'm not ready for those yet anyways. At least if I don't pass I'll be able to learn all the other Kidou spells I _don't_ know." Umemiya pointed out.

"Enough with the optimism…he's on your right. Duck, dash forward thirty meters and hide behind the outcropping…" Katsurou directed.

"No way, I'm gonna end this now; let's get to it Katsurou!" Umemiya beamed.

She jumped onto a cliff and disappeared from sight, only to reappear next to Ichigo. Stunned by her speed, Ichigo allowed for Umemiya to slash at him twice before finally landing a hit with her fist. The blow took him by surprise when it connected with his chin, but he was still unimpressed by her work. She had been using lame and obsolete tactics; her moves were too flashy or predictable in Ichigo's case and he deemed her unfit to remain a Substitute. Despite his thoughts, he found that she was agile and her Kidou skills were at an adequate level—his lack of knowledge was present for the observation, henceforth she immediately passed that by his standards.

"Che, he's got a look of doubt on his face. Shit…I didn't pass; oh well, time to switch gears. Two Kidou spells a mad dash for a hiding spot and deliver the final blow. Well, after I entrap him in a ring of fire and screw with his senses." Umemiya planned.

"Hmm, you're getting better at planning out your attacks. That's good; you'll be closer to reaching Fujiwara and Utada on that level if you keep thinking like that. Look, he's waiting for you to attack; use a flashy move to keep him underestimating you." Katsurou instructed.

"Hadou #31: Shakkahou!" Umemiya shouted.

"Another Kidou spell…this girl has to know that I'm horrible with Kidou. Oh well, I make up for it with this; Getsuga Tenshou!" Ichigo roared as he launched the attack.

Umemiya diffused his attack once more as she had been doing and found herself blade-to-blade with Ichigo. She grinned as he stared down on her, expecting her to perform another flashy move but, thankfully she was ambidextrous and her Naginata (2-long-handled sword; looks somewhat like a spear) was light enough to use with one hand—she now had an advantage. She switched her hands and attacked with her left, while she used her right to grab a small ball from her pocket.

"Good, one smoke bomb, then another Shakkahou to light it up, then I'll go in for the finishing move." Umemiya calculated.

"I hope this works, because if it _doesn't_ then we're screwed. You can say goodbye to culinary school and hello to the Shino Academy. Heh, we'll be one of the few _half-living_ people among the _dead_." Katsurou joked.

"Oh shut up you stupid bird! I'm concentrating here…although…that is pretty weird and funny." Umemiya spat.

She threw the smoke bomb onto the ground and jumped away once it burst. Realizing he was now trapped, Ichigo summoned his Hollow mask and sped away from the cloud, hoping to distance himself from the girl. Unfortunately for him, he ran straight into another one of her traps: a double Kidou spell.

"Bakudou #1: Sai; Hadou #33: Soukatsui!" Umemiya shouted.

The attacks hit their marks and sent Ichigo tumbling into the ground below. To be safe, Umemiya sent three more smoke bombs his way, completely blocking his vision and entrapping him for her last attack.

"Let's go, Hageshii honou hane no hi (3-Blazing Blades of Fire)!" Umemiya shouted as she whipped her weapon about.

She sent flames down into the smoke, using the smoke—containing small bits of flammable paper—as a medium for her attack. Balls of fire erupted from the smoke and hit the ground, eventually forming tall blazing walls, entrapping Ichigo in a ring. He glanced about for Umemiya but found she was nowhere to be seen. Now thoroughly impressed with her power and efforts, he decided to test her one last time—with Bankai.

"Bankai, Tensa Zangetsu!" Ichigo roared.

His release blasted away the flames and revealed Umemiya directly in front, stealthily dashing towards him. He launched three consecutive blows at her before following up behind and parrying against her weapon. They parried for some time before Umemiya used another Kidou spell to put some distance between them. She jabbed the tip of her Naginata into the ground and the Earth split open, allowing for fire to rip a path towards the stunned Captain. Knowing the situation looked grim if he stayed any longer, Ichigo took to the skies believing the flames would not be able to reach him there. On the contrary, Umemiya dashed after him—running on her flames—and cornered him near the ladder. She landed a hit with her Naginata and tore his sleeve from his arm, allowing it and some of his Haori to burn as it fell to the ground. Exhausted from the intense training, Umemiya stood before Ichigo panting, but willed herself to stand at-the-ready in case of another attack. He grinned at her willpower and effort, now deeming her fit to be under Karin's command. He glanced down towards Toushirou, hoping to catch his eye, and when the latter met his eye, he nodded for the end of the match. Not wanting to simply have Umemiya feel as if her efforts were wasted, Ichigo went to attack once more but was surprised when she plummeted towards the ground first. Shocked by the sudden happening, he raced after her and caught her before she could break more bones.

"Heh, that's one of our specialties…got'cha…Kurosaki-Taichou. I _win_ this round." Umemiya smirked as she tapped her blade to his throat.

"That's a dirty trick but…I'll applaud you on using it if I were an enemy. Nice job kid but, I'd send you to the Academy to brush up on your tactics and stances. You're great with Kidou…by my standards at least, but I…" Ichigo started.

"I agree that she would need to attend the Shino Academy for at least a year or two if necessary but, overall, she has passed. Despite you passing, I would like for you to go through training sessions in Soul Society this coming August. Is that understood?" Toushirou cut across.

"Damn…I didn't pass. I still have to go see _dead_ people; well, at least I'll be able to work on my Kidou." Umemiya thought.

"Oi, they're waiting for you to answer." Katsurou announced.

"Yes, I'll attend for training sessions…how long are they and what level would I be?" Umemiya responded.

"You will most likely be placed in a Second year's class; you are not anywhere near the level of a ranked officer, but your skills are better than a first year's. If we were to send you alone against a Hollow I am con…" Toushirou droned.

"Here's what he's trying to say by boring you: You passed, but you still need some work. If you were to go to the Shino Academy you'd be there as a Second Year instead of a First Year. So, that means you've still got a lot of work to do Umemiya. Like Ichi-nii said, your Kidou skills are pretty sweet when you're _really_ using upper level Kidou but, your Zanjutsu could use some work. Since we've all been trained by Yoruichi-san in Hohou, you're pretty good with that. Neither you nor Ichi-nii used Hakuda during the match so you'll have to be tested on that later this week but, overall, you passed. Now, let's get off the field so Toushirou and Fuji can start their exam." Karin interrupted suddenly.

"Thanks Taichou, I was getting pretty confused when he was talking…not that you're not a good speaker or anything Hitsugaya-Taichou, it's just that I have no clue about what you were talking about." Umemiya chuckled nervously.

"Ah, then I shall go find whomever I am to verse." Toushirou dismissed.

"Come on you two, let's get off the field." Karin urged as she walked away.

_Spectators:_

"Who is next to begin their examination?" Toushirou asked.

"That'd be _me_, Hitsugaya-Taichou. I'm Fujiwara Etsuko, pleased to meet you." Fujiwara smiled.

"Ah, likewise; let us hurry…I'm sure there are other things you students have to do." Toushirou urged before appearing on the battle field.

"Knock 'em dead Fuji." Umemiya encouraged as she passed her.

"Don't kill him Fujiwara…they'll have to find a replacement. And that's not easy considering he's Toushirou. Just make it so that he knows you're the winner and he's the loser, nothing more than that." Karin ordered.

"Okay Taichou, I'll keep that in mind." Fujiwara beamed before darting away.

"She can't _kill_ Toushirou; he's a Captain." Ichigo chuckled.

"If you destroy the _mind_, you destroy the _body_." Karin recited.

"Fuji can get into your head and make you relive some pretty scary memories. Don't ever get on her bad side…and _never_ try scaring her. She's always got something scarier to come back at you with." Umemiya warned.

"I hope he doesn't die. He's got a _lot_ of painful memories locked away in that head of his." Ichigo thought.

* * *

><p><strong>AUTHOR'S NOTES &amp; TRANSLATIONS (AGAIN):<strong>

1) "…Claws of Fire." (Bird claws)

2) Long-handled sword, that looks like a spear

3) "Blazing Blades of Fire!"

As usual, I thank _Everyone_ who took the time to read/review this fanfiction. Oh yes, I was wondering, would people like it if I did a _Sayo-chan's Chara Squabbles_ for this fanfiction as well? Thanks once again for reading! *Bows in Appreciation*

~sayo-chan ^_^


	5. Fujiwara's Fun & Toushirou's Torment

**I DO NOT OWN BLEAH: ALL CREDIT GOES TO KUBO-SAMA FOR HIS BRILLIANCE & CHARACTERS.** I appreciate the time everyone takes to read this fanfiction. *Bows in Appreciation*

**AUTHOR'S NOTES & TRANSLATIONS:**

1) "Creep, Whispering Snake…"

2) I'm actually sort of put off by this ending, but I didn't know how to end this chapter really. I hope it's not as bad as I find it to be; I just wanted something different than the older plot.

* * *

><p><strong>The Substitute Squad Captain<strong>

_Recap:_

"_Who is next to begin their examination?" Toushirou asked._

"_That'd be me, Hitsugaya-Taichou. I'm Fujiwara Etsuko, pleased to meet you." Fujiwara smiled._

"_Don't kill him Fujiwara…they'll have to find a replacement. And that's not easy considering he's Toushirou. Just make it so that he knows you're the winner and he's the loser, nothing more than that." Karin ordered._

"_She can't kill Toushirou; he's a Captain." Ichigo chuckled._

"_If you destroy the mind, you destroy the body." Karin recited._

"_Fuji can get into your head and make you relive some pretty scary memories. Don't ever get on her bad side…and never try scaring her. She's always got something scarier to come back at you with." Umemiya warned._

"_I hope he doesn't die. He's got a lot of painful memories locked away in that head of his." Ichigo thought._

****

* * *

><p><p>

_Fujiwara's Fun & Toushirou's Torment:_

"Let's begin Fujiwara-san, I do need to complete some files by the end of tonight." Toushirou informed.

"Certainly, Hitsugaya-Taichou," Fujiwara smirked, "I'll start…it'll be easier that way."

"She's planning something…her demeanor has completely changed. She has a _smirk_ instead of a _smile_ and her reiatsu feels denser and darker than it was originally." Toushirou gathered.

"It seems we must be wary of her presence and attacks. It looks as if she favors sneaky and," Hyourinmaru added, "underhanded methods; I advise you to be on guard Master."

"Ah, I'm watching." Toushirou replied.

He was suddenly taken aback when a light mist rolled onto the field and a low tune buzzed through his ears. Wary of both the tune and fog, he jumped away from the ground and onto a cliff nearby, hoping to find an opening or weak point in her attack.

"No no, I'm over here now." She whispered from behind.

Not one to be easily fooled, he turned Hyourinmaru in his hands and blindly slashed outwards, hoping to land a hit.

"No No, keeping your eyes closed will only help you fall into the dream. Stay awake Hitsugaya-Taichou;" Fujiwara informed as she blocked his blade, "if you get hurt in there…it'll be hell to pay. Plus, Taichou said I can't do _Over-Kill_ on you so…I'll have to settle for a physical fight."

"I'm not one to be fooled as easily as Kurosaki would. I am aware that you use mist or fog to obscure," Toushirou stated, "your opponent's vision, but I was unaware of that tune. Hypnosis won't work if the opponent is aware of it and capable of withstanding it."

"Huh, what tune are you talking about? The fog is mine but…I don't have any music playing." Fujiwara lied.

"She's lying; her reiatsu fluctuated by a fraction just now. She may fool those with lesser abilities to track reiatsu like Kurosaki, but she won't fool me." Toushirou thought.

"Master, she is planning another attack. Be wary of the situation and pay close attention to her reiatsu." Hyourinmaru advised.

"Ah, I shall. Let's go." Toushirou retorted.

"Hmm, he's going to try tracking me by reiatsu…I think it's a good time to _shed_ my skin. I'll have _three_ clones so they keep him busy and then we'll see what's inside his head. I hope it's not as sad as some of my enemies. Rin-san, why _do_ we get to look into people's heads?" Fujiwara asked.

"Because that is my ability; you are curious about human nature, despite him being dead," Rin-san replied, "and therefore I have allowed you to use my power. You are interested in the study of psychology and memory are you not?"

"Yes, it's interesting since not everyone experiences the same things _exactly_ the same. Besides, it's interesting to find out why someone acts the way they do if it's based off a memory." She answered as she dodged a wave of ice.

"Good, then now that you have your answer it is time to swallow your prey. Three clones as usual, then we shall find out how to break him down…to the level Kurosaki-Taichou has asked us to." Rin-san instructed.

"Yes, here we go!" Fujiwara beamed.

"Kuripu, Hebi no Sasayaki (1-Creep, Whispering Snake)," Fujiwara whispered, "and bring him to his knees."

"Che, she's already launching another attack. She has an advantage but, she has yet to use any Kidou. I'll have to bind her before…there are _three_ of her now. How is it possible to split herself into thirds?" Toushirou gathered.

"It would do you well to track all three…_four_ if she is not one of the three reiatsu. She not only disturbs your five senses," Hyourinmaru droned, "she also threatens to disturb your sense of location and push the amount of people you can track to the limit. She is definitely a formidable opponent for Arrancar and Hollow alike. Shall we challenge her knowledge of Kidou, Hakuda, and Hohou during this battle?"

"Ah, I'll have to distance myself from her now so it'll be a chance to test her Hohou out. As for Kidou…it looks like she's going to launch one now." Toushirou relayed.

"Bakudou #63: Sajo Sabaku; Hadou #58: Tenran!" Fujiwara shouted.

"She's more skilled and proficient in Kidou than Umemiya-san. Dammit, she doesn't let up either…she's quite pre…" Toushirou thought.

"Master behind you," Hyourinmaru informed, "and above."

Toushirou turned—now eyes opened—to block a downwards strike while a second clone of Fujiwara dragged their katana across the back of his thighs. He quickly finished an exchange of blows with the first clone and used a Kidou spell to bind the second; unfortunately Toushirou failed to see the third clone and was hit by a Shakkahou from below. He was sent flying into the ceiling, but did not lie there long since Fujiwara was following up behind her attack. He parried easily when their blades met, but he suddenly felt sluggish and separated from the world.

"Dammit, I've fallen into a trap…" Toushirou thought.

"Heh, you have…and I'm going to see if you can get out. Kuripu, Hebi no Sasayaki, and bring him to his knees." She whispered.

The scene swirled about as the haze before Toushirou's eyes grew thicker. He held onto his crescent-shaped sickle, waiting for Fujiwara to attack, but thankfully she did not. He waited for another attack and when one did not, he searched about the room for her reiatsu but was unable to find _any_ traces. He held his breath as he listened for any and all sounds, then dashed forward—sword drawn—when he heard something shift. He stabbed his blade through the soft flesh of what he thought to be a clone of Fujiwara, but stopped breathing when he looked at the face of the person before him.

"S…S…Shirou…c…chan…w…why?" They asked.

"H…H…Hinamori…n…not again…n…no Hinamori…" Toushirou stammered.

"I…I…I'm s…sorry S…Shirou-chan. I…I'm j…just no use right?" Momo breathed.

"N…No, you're useful; you're plenty useful. I…I…I…I don't know how you got here but…I…I'm getting you back…" Toushirou stuttered.

"No, it…it's fine, I'm fine. I…I can walk…I think." Momo smiled weakly.

"No Hinamori, I'll get you out of here. Come on, I can carry you." Toushirou offered.

He pulled slowly pulled Hyourinmaru from her abdomen and immediately took off his Haori to stop the bleeding. Before he could hand her the Haori, she fell to the ground in an exhausted heap.

"No Hinamori…Hinamori…Hinamori," Toushirou stated, "you can't lie there. I'll take you to the Fourth Squad…so they can heal you again."

"S…S…Shirou-chan…I…I can't stand up." Momo whispered.

"That's fine…I…I can carry you." He repeated.

He smiled weakly in reassurance, then knelt down to pick her up, but was met with the tip of her blade as it rammed through his chest. He coughed up blood and slid forward down the blade meeting with her face-to-face.

"Sorry Shirou-chan…it's only fair." Momo giggled.

"Hina…" Toushirou breathed before blackness clouded his vision.

"Hinamori," Toushirou shouted, "why?"

"Taichou…Taichou are you okay?" A voice asked.

"Matsumoto, why am I still in my office? Was I not in Urahara-san's basement just a few moments ago?" Toushirou questioned.

"Taichou…did you drink some of my sake by accident? You've been sleeping for three hours." Rangiku informed.

"I've been _sleeping_? That's impossible, I was just helping Hinamori a little while ago and before that I was…this is an…" Toushirou surmised.

"Yes, you've finally figured it out. You caught on pretty quickly for someone with such a horrible," Rangiku cackled as she lunged at him, "memory. Oh well, you're going to _die_ anyways!"

_Spectators:_

"Taichou where are you going?" Umemiya asked.

"To stop Fujiwara, she's going a bit too far. He's not breathing right…and she's already punctured his lungs…in the illusion at least. I've got to stop her before it gets out of hand." Karin answered.

"I'll come, I've gotta go upstairs for a few minutes anyways. I'm pretty hungry and so is Utada so I'm getting us some food." A voice offered.

"Since you're going to get some food for yourself, why not get food for everyone else as well. I'm sure the rest of us are quite hungry." Another voice suggested.

"That won't be necessary Tenshou; I have prepared a delicious meal for all of us." A third voice mentioned.

"Um…all right then. Me and Karin are gonna head over then; let's go." The first voice stated.

_Toushirou V.S. Fujiwara:_

"Yes, you've finally figured it out. You caught on pretty quickly for someone with such a horrible memory. Oh well, you're going to _die_ anyways!" Rangiku cackled as she lunged at him.

Toushirou jumped up from the couch and looked about for Hyourinmaru, but found the weapon was nowhere to be found. She unsheathed her Zanpakutou and charged at him, but thankfully his agility surpassed hers and he was able to make a quick escape. He dashed from the room and headed down a hallway, but was met with a dead-end. Rangiku chased after him and finally cornered him—smiling with malice—and brought her sword down upon his body. He held up his scabbard in defense, but found she sliced through the item and into his body. The room swirled about once more before he found himself looking up at Karin, Jinta, Fujiwara, and Ichigo.

"Oi Toushirou, you awake and out of Fuji's illusions yet?" Karin asked.

"Judging by the tone you're using, I am no longer suspended in that world of illusions?" Toushirou questioned.

"Yup, he's out; if he can speak with us then he's out. Sorry Hitsugaya-Taichou…I didn't know that first memory was that bad. I didn't exactly mean to intrude…it's just what I do. Think…" Fujiwara apologized.

"No need to rationalize your abilities or apologize for your doings. You were simply attacking me as if I were another enemy; you are fit to remain on this squad…Fujiwara Etsuko." Toushirou interrupted.

"All right, so now that those two have gone…all's that left is: Utada, Mao-chan, Yasushi-kun, Ururu, and Baka-Kari." Karin listed aloud.

"Oi I'm right here so I can hear you ya' know!" Jinta hollered, annoyed with her usual nickname for him.

"Wait, aren't those two kids tired?" Ichigo asked.

"They probably are which is why I was wondering if we could call it quits for tonight." Karin input.

"Hmm, Yama-Ossu-san didn't say anything about there being a set date for this. We _are_ staying down here for a month so…I guess it could be over two more days. Why, you've got a soccer tournament or something?" Ichigo agreed.

"No, they've just got to get some sleep. We can't be exhausted if we're supposed to take proficiency exams. I wouldn't be a god _Captain_ if I let them walk around seriously tired—that'd be like sending them to their own deaths." Karin answered.

"All right, I'm fine with it but, how 'bout you Toushirou?" Ichigo questioned.

"Ah, I'm fine with this as well. It does not pose any problems for these exams because we are to," Toushirou agreed, "be stationed here for a month. If this discussion is finished, you should dismiss your squad and we should all head to our respective homes."

"Thanks Toushi! Oi everyone, pack up and head home or else you'll be late and sleepy in school tomorrow. Hurry up, and Utada make sure you did Ebihara-Sensei's math homework!" Karin shouted.

After all was said and done, Karin's squad left, followed by Karin, Ichigo, and Toushirou respectively. While Ichigo headed towards the Kurosaki Residence, Karin suddenly veered off on another course, slipping away silently into the night. Known for his horrible tracking skills, Ichigo didn't notice her absence until he reached the house door, but even then, did not press the matter, knowing she was capable of handling herself. While he entered the house, Karin made her way to the _Substitute HQ_ to relax and sleep for the night—she didn't feel like returning home just yet.

_Substitute HQ:_

"Oi Toushi, I can sense you following me remember? I've been trained by Yoruichi for a reason; Hohou and Hakuda are two of my best points thanks to her. Plus, I'm _much_ better than Ichi-nii when it comes to tracking people." Karin said aloud.

"It seems your skills have sharpened since I've last seen you." Toushirou commented.

"Well, I saw you what…last year maybe when I visited Soul Society with Yoruichi? We only went there so," Karin reminisced, "she could see Soi Fon and check out her family's mansion…the place is _huge_."

"Ah, I've been told before. Anyways, may I ask why you're _here_ and not at your _house_?" Toushirou questioned.

"Well, after Ichi-nii left…I took over his room. Since it'd be a pain to sleep on the couch, I thought I'd just sleep here until tomorrow. Why are _you_ here?" Karin explained.

"I planned on finding this place myself but, when I noticed you were heading to this deserted part of town, I followed you. I had a notion that you would form _some_ sort of hideout—this entire area says _you_." He replied.

"Well, I am the one who designed it. Yoruichi, Tessai, Urahara, and the gang helped build it. We wanted to feel like a _real_ Squad so we built our own little hideout. It's cooler than it looks…our rooms at least." Karin boasted.

"Your _rooms_, do you sleep here often then?" Toushirou inquired.

"Nope, but we have rooms just in case we _have_ to. We treat this place like…like a secret clubhouse I guess. When we've got problems, we usually come here. Plus, it has this _awesome_ training ground in the basement just like Urahara's." Karin listed.

"Ah, then I'm supposing we're heading to _your_ room?" Toushirou asked.

"Hmm, I really wanna take a bath after this; soccer practice wasn't too bad…but Kendo has my arm screwed up and tense still." Karin thought.

They headed down a hallway—she never answered his question—and arrived at a door with her name—in Hiragana—written upon a plaque.

"I guess my question's been answered." Toushirou mumbled.

"Well, welcome to my room!" Karin beamed.

"It's pretty plain besides that panel of buttons on the other side. By the way, the town looks a _lot_ different since the last time I was here. People are up in the sky on those…highways I believe you call them, the buildings don't look the same, everything is more…high-tech I believe you said once." Toushirou rambled.

"Yea, a lot changes in five years Toushi. But, the good thing about it is; only _half_ of the town has changed. All the high-tech side is where all sorts of commercial and business districts are, but the residential district has stayed the same. Don't worry, since we've got the rest of the afternoon after I get out of school, I'll show you around town." Karin smiled.

"Master, this is what humans call a _date_." Hyourinmaru informed.

"Her inviting me for a tour around the town is _hardly_ what they call dates. A date involves much more than simply walking about the town; I remember Matsumoto ranting on and," Toushirou reasoned, "on about it once. Besides, we usually walk around the Seireitei when she comes so she can familiarize herself; she's simply returning the favor."

"If that is what you say it is Master." Hyourinmaru sighed.

"I'm positive; Kurosaki doesn't have those sorts of feelings for me." Toushirou snorted, albeit slightly miffed.

"Ah, thank you, but you'll most likely have something to do after school tomorrow won't you?" Toushirou rejected.

"Hmm, I should have Kendo, but I can always skip out since I'm _Lieutenant_ and not _Captain_ of the team. Plus, our archery Sensei is out sick so she can't be there and that means no archery." Karin listed.

"Aren't you part of your school's soccer team?" He inquired.

"Yea, but I can tell them something…plus, no one said _I_ have to be playing. I've got a special Gikon pill for that." Karin smiled.

"Urahara-san created it for you I'm guessing?" He questioned.

"Yup, it's a lot more efficient than most pills, so I love it. Anyways, you can head next door if you want to sleep—it's Jinta's room—or walk around the place. Oh yea…there's also…a really cool tower to watch the stars…well, not really a tower I guess." Karin rambled.

"Ah, I'll take you up on all three offers then. Goodnight Kurosaki, I'll see you tomorrow then." Toushirou dismissed before leaving.

"Hmm…too tired to take a bath. I think I'll sleep, and shower in the morning; 'night Kamikaze, see ya' Harin." Karin yawned before climbing into bed.

* * *

><p><strong>AUTHOR'S NOTES &amp; TRANSLATIONS (AGAIN):<strong>

1) "Creep, Whispering Snake…"

As usual, I thank _Everyone_ who took the time to read/review this fanfiction! Next up, an actual difference in the plot than the original story! (Wonder what happens...) Oh yea, almost forgot! *Bows in Appreciation & Apology* (Apology for the rather...odd ending)

~sayo-chan ^_^


	6. We Can't Be

**I DO NOT OWN BLEACH: ALL CREDIT GOES TO KUBO-SAMA FOR HIS BRILLIANCE & CHARACTERS.** I do sincerely apologize for the lateness of this chapter; this is inexcusable & I take full responsibility for these actions. I do sincerely apologize once again. ***VIGOROUSLY (X2) BOWS IN APOLOGY*** As for this chapter, I am not sure if I did a good job on trying to add some romance or fluff, but I tried (action scenes are my thing, not fluff or romance really). *Bows in Apology*

**AUTHOR'S NOTES & TRANSLATIONS:**

1) 75 USD/52.0906€

2) 20 USD/13.8908€

3) 5 USD/3.47270€

4) 15 USD/10.4181€

5) Seal of Darkness

6) Dispel

* * *

><p><strong>The Substitute Squad Captain<strong>

_Recap:_

"_If that is what you say it is Master." Hyourinmaru sighed._

"_I'm positive; Kurosaki doesn't have those sorts of feelings for me." Toushirou snorted, albeit slightly miffed._

* * *

><p><em><span>We Can't Be:<span>_

_Substitute Headquarters:_

"Hmm, doesn't look like he's awake yet. Well, it's not like _he_ has school…lucky Shinigami." Karin said aloud.

"I've been awake for some time Kurosaki; I was simply training in that Dojo you have upstairs." Toushirou informed from behind.

"Oh all right then, have fun. I'm off, I'll see ya' after school okay. Oh and Toushi, don't blow me off…I'll _find_ you, I promise." Karin smiled evilly.

"I'm getting a bad feeling; she seems even more dangerous than usual." Toushirou pointed out.

"Then maybe you shouldn't blow her off as you intended to do. It is best if you accompany her today Master; think of _her_ happiness and _your_ safety." Hyourinmaru advised.

"Fine, just so you know; if there's a Hollow or Arran…" Toushirou began.

"If a _threat_ is found, then Jinta and the others will take care of it. Not to mention Ichi-nii; he's probably bored being in Soul Society all the time." Karin cut across.

"I'll admit; she's worked most of the kinks out." Toushirou admitted.

"Ah, I too agree." Hyourinmaru replied.

"Well, see ya' Toushi!" Karin called as she ran off.

_Karakura High:_

"Hmm, wonder where I'll take Toushi today. Hmm, maybe the arcade since last time he came I dragged him to the movies. Or…or we can go to that sword shop in the underground mall; I need to pick up some new fighter tape anyways. Oh, and I need to pick up my order from Sagisu-san. And we," Karin thought, "can probably go for some watermelons since that's probably all he eats."

"He probably eats _other_ things too Karin. As for the arcade, didn't you drag him there two years ago?" Kamikaze asked.

"Yea, but knowing him, he probably forgot about it." Karin replied.

"I doubt it; I think he has a _thing_ for you if you know what I mean. He lets you play with his hair, call him by his given name, drag him off to places, force him to play s…" Kamikaze listed.

"I don't _force_ him to play…he…he just comes along for the ride and ends up playing." Karin snorted.

"Okay, keep telling yourself that. But seriously, I think he has a _thing_ for you." Kamikaze informed.

"No way, he doesn't and won't ever have a _thing_ for me ya' know. I'm just a kid who…sorta gets how he feels. He's usually alone and won't admit that he really _is_ lonely; why do you think I tried being his friend when I was younger?" Karin denied.

"Um…I wasn't around when you were younger so how should I know." Kamikaze spat.

"Kurosaki Karin, what is the answer to said equation?" Ochi-Sensei asked.

"2⁄34." Karin sighed.

"T…That's correct. Kurosaki, how the hell do you know the answer when you've been staring out the window the entire class?" Ochi-Sensei marveled.

"Because I'm smarter than Ichi-nii." She stated.

"Oh, that's good enough for me." Ochi-Sensei sang.

"Really Karin…?" Jinta sighed.

"What, like _you're_ any smarter." Karin snickered.

"You _know_ I'm smart…I just don't wanna ruin my image." Jinta snorted.

"That's just sad. It's amazing Yuzu hasn't told you to actually _use_ those smarts already." Karin remarked.

"I think she's just happy that I'm smart overall. Anyways, I've got baseball later on; you heading to the soccer field or back to HQ?" Jinta questioned.

"HQ, I'm dragging Toushi out to have some fun today." Karin revealed.

"Ho Ho, have fun with that. So, where are you two going anyways?" Jinta snickered.

"Oi, it's _not_ a _date_, so don't get any ideas. Don't tell Yuzu about this either…you know she'll try doing something." Karin snapped.

"All right, All right I won't say anything. You better tell me if _something_ happens; oh, but if tries anything, and I mean _anything_," Jinta declared, "I'll kick his ass. I don't care if he's a Captain or not."

"Thanks Jinta, but I'm _sure_ Toushi wouldn't do that he's…_Toushi_ after all." Karin chuckled.

"Uh-Huh, but seriously, as they say: _it's the quiet ones you have to watch out for_." Jinta recited.

"You've been surfing the 'net to much recently." Karin joked.

"Oh shut up you idiot." He spat.

"Hanakari, Kurosaki, quit chatting in the back there!" Ochi-Sensei yelled.

_After School:_

"See ya' later Jinta!" Karin called.

"Yea see ya'! Oi Mitani, what'd coach say about…?" Jinta started as he and a teammate walked down the hall.

"Uwah, he's so hot!" A girl shrieked.

"Oi Oi, what's with your hair! It's so cool, can I touch it!" Another cried.

"No way, _I'm_ touching it first!" A third girl spat.

"Why should _you_ get to touch it first? _I_ was here _first_ so _I_ should be the one to touch it first." A fourth girl argued.

"What the hell's going on over there?" Karin wondered.

"Hmm, maybe your _Knight in Icy Armor_ came to pick you up." Kamikaze snickered.

"Oh shut up…and he's _not_ my _Knight in Icy Armor_! Where the hell did you get that anyway?" Karin barked.

"Well, he wields the most powerful ice-type Zanpakutou so…it should be pretty obvious." Kamikaze deadpanned.

"Whatever." Karin grumbled.

_Gates:_

"All right, All right move you idiots! Some of us would like to get home!" Karin yelled as she tried pushing through the crowd.

"Who the hell…oh, I'm so sorry! I didn't know it was _you_; I'm so sorry Kurosaki-san!" A girl yelped.

"Ah, it's Kurosaki Karin…isn't she the school's delinquent…along with Hanakari Jinta?" Another girl whispered.

"Who the hell just said that? If you're gonna say something then say it to…!" Karin roared.

"Kurosaki, please don't draw attention to yourself. You look like an idiot; a _brash_, _short-tempered_, _feisty_ idiot. Now, are we going?" Someone sighed.

"Oh so it's _you_ they're fawning over? Heh didn't know you had so many fangirls Toushi." Karin snickered.

"Shut up Kurosaki." Toushirou spat.

"Whatever, so let's get going; I'm supposed to be showing you how to have fun today." Karin beamed.

"Hn…" Toushirou grunted.

"Eh, how can _she_ get a boyfriend but _I_ can't?" A girl shrieked.

"He's _not_ my boyfriend!" Karin barked.

"Oh, so then he's up for grabs?" A girl inquired with a smile.

"I'm too busy to be in a relationship." Toushirou snorted.

"True, he's way too busy filling…" Karin began.

"Let's go Kurosaki." Toushirou mumbled as he dragged her away.

"Oi Toushi, I can walk for myself. No need to _drag_ me." Karin snapped.

"If dragging you means getting away from the _hoard_ then I'll do it." He whispered in a slightly frightened tone.

"What are…are you _scared_ of all those girls? Ho Ho, this is _great_." Karin snickered.

"Kurosaki, if _you_ had girls hounding and stalking you in both Soul Society and the World of the Living, wouldn't _you_ be slightly fearful?" He asked.

"I…I guess you have a point there." Karin admitted.

"Ah, good to know you understand." He muttered.

"Well come on, we've gotta go!" She beamed as she ran ahead.

_Entertainment District:_

_Underground Mall:_

"Kurosaki what is this place?" Toushirou inquired.

"It's an underground mall; I thought I brought you here last time you came down here. All right, let's head to the arcade, then we'll get something to eat…and I'll drag you around to see some other stuff." Karin beamed.

"What is this _other stuff_ you speak of?" He grumbled.

"Shopping duh," Karin answered, "there's a few shops around here I thought you might like. Oh, and trust me, I'm _not_ like Matsumoto; I won't drag you around _too_ much."

"I hope so." He sighed.

_Arcade:_

"Kurosaki, why is it so noisy in here?" Toushirou questioned.

"It's an _arcade_ Toushi; it's _supposed_ to be noisy. We'll be _competing_ so bring you're _A-Game_ as we say, because you won't beat me without it." Karin explained.

"Is that a challenge?" Toushirou asked.

"It might be; it's how you see it." Karin said smugly.

"Then I shall…" Toushirou started.

"Quit with the formal speech Toushi; you're with _me_, not some _other_ Captain." Karin interrupted.

"Fine, I'll bring my _A-Game_ if you want." He smirked.

"Good Deal." Karin smirked back.

They nearly spent an hour and a half in the arcade, so engrossed in their competition they didn't even notice when a crowd gathered to watch them play _DDR_. The battle was fast and competitive, neither wanting to lose to the other; it was only when Karin remembered something and made Toushirou look up, causing his feet to stop.

"Oh yeah, I forgot to do that." Karin mumbled.

"What did…?" Toushirou started.

"Oi Toushirou, keep your feet moving if you wanna beat me. When I'm not playing soccer, I'm usually in here with friends or Jinta since Yuzu's not coordinated enough," Karin reprimanded, "for this stuff."

"If you hadn't _distracted_ me I would still be winning." He growled.

"Oh, so you're _finally_ having some fun huh? Good, glad you finally learned." Karin beamed.

"I am _not_ having fun. I am simply trying to prove that I am faster and more coordinated than _you_." He lied.

"Yea okay Toushirou, keep telling yourself that; maybe you can convince the crowd and yourself. Remember, I see _right_ through that wall of ice." Karin snickered.

"Wow, she's good; she's talking to him and her feet are still moving." A person commented.

"Yea, but so is that guy. Wait, does he bleach his hair…whoa, maybe he's a _delinquent_." Another person replied.

"Wait, isn't that…Kurosaki Karin!" A third person cried.

"Yea, it _is_!" A girl shouted.

"Oh my gosh, maybe that's her _boyfriend_!" Another girl exclaimed.

"Oh great, too much attention, I hate too much attention. You ready to go some…wait, we still have to get our prizes. So, you ready to finish this game up and go get some prizes?" Karin whispered.

"Ah, let's leave…_after_ we get our prizes. I'll definitely be the winner of this competition though." He smirked.

"Oh you're so on." Karin challenged.

The battle lasted only a few minutes longer—Toushirou won—before they headed over to the prize counter to collect their winnings.

"Oh yea, we should head over to the ticket machine before we head to the prize counter." Karin suggested.

"Where is this _ticket machine_? What _is_ this ticket machine?" He interrogated.

"It just counts your tickets so you don't have to; it just makes it easier on someone's brain, especially for people who are bad with math." Karin explained.

"Ah, well I've already counted the amount of tickets each of us have; they were simple calculations anyway. You have approximately three hundred and seventy-five tickets." Toushirou informed.

"Wow, thanks Mr. Prodigy." Karin snickered.

"Shut up Kar…Kurosaki." He snorted.

"No way…say it, say it, say it. You _almost_ said it, so just say it." Karin coaxed.

"N…No it was simply a slip-up. I didn't…" Toushirou denied.

"No, I want you to say it." Karin demanded as she moved closer to his face.

"I…I don't think I…" He started.

"No, say it or I'll slice you to ribbons." Karin threatened.

"As if you _could_," He snorted, "I'm a _Captain_ after all."

"I'm a _Captain_ as well Toushi." She smirked.

"Are you threatening me _Kurosaki-Taichou_?" He whispered.

"Only if you _feel_ threatened," She whispered smugly, "but I don't think a _Captain_ should feel threatened just by that."

"She's so…so _close_. M…M…My face is probably redder than Abarai's hair." Toushirou thought.

"Master, I would like to say…" Hyourinmaru began.

"Don't you dare put any thoughts in my head." He snarled.

"I was going to say you should," Hyourinmaru continued, "comeback with a snarky remark to counter hers but…if you want to think of certain images then that is up to you."

"O…Oh, pardon my outburst then." Toushirou muttered.

"You should reply before she thinks she has won this battle." Hyourinmaru advised.

"I don't _feel_ threatened, but it sounds as if you _are_ threatening me. Threatening a _Captain_ is treason in Soul Society." He whispered.

"We're not _in_ Soul Society if you haven't noticed, so I win." She smirked.

"I could always _report_ it to Soul Society. You would lose then." He smirked.

"Is _that_ a threat…_Hitsugaya-Taichou_?" She whispered.

"Only if you see it as a threat," He answered, "but I don't think a _Captain_ should feel threatened just by that."

"Hmph, you're good Toushirou, you're good. But not _that_ good, you can't _scare_ me just with that. We should sort this out later…during my exam I guess." Karin snickered.

"I'll hold you to that." He smirked.

"Wow, I _told_ you she has a boyfriend! Look how close they are to each other!" A girl squealed.

"Whoa…K…Kurosaki has a…a…a _boyfriend_? How could that _monster_ get a _boyfriend_?" A boy exclaimed.

"Who are you calling a…!" Karin roared.

"They're no worth your time; let's go get our prizes." Toushirou commanded as he pulled her along.

"Fine." Karin grumbled.

_Prize Counter:_

"All right so what do…Toushi?" Karin started.

"Hold on, I think I forgot my phone near that dancing game." He interrupted.

"Oh all right, you should run over there before someone steals it." Karin advised.

"I'll be right back then." He informed.

_DDR:_

"Oi, looks like someone left their phone here. Heh, let's take it; they probably won't notice 'til they leave." A boy schemed.

"Yea, plus, I doubt the kid who left it could take us on if they found out." Another boy snickered.

"Heh, if it's a girl…we should bargain with her." A third planned.

"Wait, weren't Kurosaki and her boyfriend here just a few minutes ago? Heh Heh, maybe this is _Kurosaki's_ phone. Hmm," The second boy cackled, "wonder if she could beat us up by herself."

"She _could_ and _would_ had it been her who came to retrieve my phone." Toushirou said from behind.

"Heh, you're Kurosaki's boyfriend aren't you? Just because you're a delinquent like your girlfriend doesn't mean…" The first—leader—boy sneered.

"She is _not_ a delinquent; get that straight, or I'll _make_ you." Toushirou growled, grabbing his phone from the kid's hand.

"Oi, just because you're Kurosaki's boyfriend doesn't mean…!" The third boy yelled.

"I would appreciate if you would _not_ antagonize me. It will _not_ end well for you three." Toushirou snarled.

"O…O…Oi guys…we…we should pro…probably…lea…leave him alone." The second one stuttered.

"Listen to your friend; it may be the best option for you at the moment. Oh, and _never_ call Karin, a delinquent." Toushirou snapped before he walked away.

_Prize Counter:_

"I don't _need_ to give you my name to get a prize. Just tell me how many tickets it costs." Karin snarled.

"Aw come on, it's just a _name_. Tell me your name and I'll tell you the price of the ball." The clerk bargained.

"I said: I don't _need_ to give you my name!" She yelled.

"Then I guess I don't _need_ to tell you the price of the ball then!" The clerk snapped.

"If she does not _want_ to give you her name, then she does not _have_ to. That is a violation of privacy and harassment, not to mention unequal service; she can appeal to a court that she is being harassed and treated unfairly based on her gender. Now, check the price of that ball." Toushirou growled from behind Karin.

"Toushi it's f…" Karin started.

"It's _not_ fine. If you want something and someone isn't willing to give it up, then you might as well _fight_ for it." Toushirou recited.

"Heh, you remember that?" Karin chuckled.

"Ah, it was only two years ago." He stated.

"I…I…It co…co…costs f…f…five hundred tickets." The clerk stuttered.

"Dammit, I don't have enough." Karin scoffed.

"Hand it over." Toushirou demanded.

"Y…Y…Yes Sir." The clerk replied.

"But Toushi I only have…" Karin began.

"_I_ have four hundred and three tickets; if I combine some of mine with yours, you should be able to get the ball." He cut across.

"But they're _your_ tickets." Karin argued.

"_Karin_, don't argue, just be glad I'm getting it for you." He ordered.

"Heh, you said my name." Karin grinned.

"It was only to make sure you didn't fight back." He snorted.

"Whatever you say _Taichou_." She smirked.

"That goddamned smirk of hers…I hate it." Toushirou thought.

"You do _not_ hate it; you just do not want to admit that you find it _alluring_ as it is called." Hyourinmaru denied.

"I said I don't want to discuss this issue." Toushirou snapped.

"But Master, _you're_ the one who brought it up." Hyourinmaru mentioned.

"Oh, I…I guess I did. Even so, I shall deny _every_ claim you make about my relationship with Karin." Toushirou informed.

"Ah but first I would like to point something out." Hyourinmaru announced.

"What?" He questioned.

"You enjoyed when the crowd was calling you Kurosaki's boyfriend; you were _very_ angry when those boys called _her_ a delinquent, and also when the clerk was being unfair and demanding her name. Are you _still_ going to," Hyourinmaru listed, "deny each claim?"

"Yes, even if my feelings _are_ more than obvious, I am _not_ willing to jeopardize our friendship." Toushirou replied.

"Master, this inner turmoil is good for no one." Hyourinmaru stated.

"Whether it _is_ or is _not_ good for me, if it means I can keep my current friendship with her, then that is fine." Toushirou sighed.

"Toushi pick something; you've still got some tickets so you should get something too. Don't just waste your tickets on me." She smiled.

"If only she'd _let_ me waste all these tickets on her." He sighed.

"Master, please, I as your Zanpakutou can_not_ condone this. At least admit it to me; no one can hear your thoughts after all." Hyourinmaru pleaded.

"Then you should already know my feelings. I _do_ desire to be _more_ than friends, but I doubt she'd allow that. Having busy lives and living in two different worlds are simply excuses to convince myself…not the truth." Toushirou admitted.

"That is all I wished to hear Master. You should be at ease now that such a weight has been lifted off your heart." Hyourinmaru stated.

"Ah, thank you Hyourinmaru." Toushirou thanked.

"Hey Toushi, what are you going to get?" Karin questioned.

"Hmm…I guess I'll get…that keychain over there and those ribbons for Matsumoto. Ribbons…ah, that reminds me, when we leave I need to give you something." Toushirou babbled.

"All right, then grab your prizes and let's go! Here are the tickets…come on Toushi!" Karin laughed as she pulled him along.

_Underground Mall:_

"So, what did you have to give me?" Karin questioned.

"Ah, Abarai gave it to me just before I passed through the gates to get here; he said it was from Kuchiki-Taichou." Toushirou answered before separating from his gigai.

"Eh, Yaku-nii sent me something! What is it, what is it?" Karin beamed.

"I'm not sure, but it seems like a _package_ of some kind." He answered.

"Give it here, give it here. It might be…it is!" Karin yelled.

"Kurosaki, _what_ exactly is _that_?" He asked as he reentered his gigai.

"It…It's some…don't laugh but, it's…it's four peach…peach buns." She murmured.

"One question: How are_ you_ and _Kuchiki-Taichou_ on good terms? He _loathes_ your brother…and does he _really_ allow you to call him _Yaku-nii_?" Toushirou inquired.

"Heh, that's because we _both_ enjoy making Ichi-nii's life…_hell_. And _yes_, he _allows_ me to call him Yaku-nii…just not in front of other _Captains_. Subordinates are fine since they can't exactly say anything to his face," Karin explained, "but another _Captain_ can."

"Ah, we should hurry up; I'd like to leave this place before _more_ people come here." Toushirou mentioned.

"Oh yea, come on." Karin smiled as she dragged him along.

_Sword Shop:_

"Hmm, this store is…_interesting_ to say the _least_." He muttered.

"Yea, Jinta and I come here…a _lot_. Oh and it doesn't just sell _swords_, it sells _other_ weapons too. Oi Sagisu-san!" Karin informed.

"Ah Karin, it's good to see you again. Where's Jinta…it doesn't seem like he's with you." Sagisu-san chuckled.

"He's busy at baseball practice. I'm here with another friend; his name's Toushirou. Oi Toushirou, come over here!" Karin called.

"What is it Kurosaki?" He questioned.

"Aw come on, you called me _Karin_ in the arcade, can't you just call me that _now_?" She pleaded, tugging at his arm.

"Oh, so you're Karin's friend? Nice to meet you, I'm Sagisu Yamato." Sagisu-san greeted.

"I'm Hitsugaya Toushirou; it is a pleasure to meet you as well. Tell me, do you have any sharpeners? My own blade needs to be sharpened but, my aunt _somehow_ misplaced it." Toushirou explained.

"Oh certainly, I feel for you. Blades should be taken _care_ of; they're an extension of your arm," Sagisu-san replied, "not some weapon to swing around like most children think these days. Please follow me, they're in the back."

"Sagisu-san, did my order come in!" Karin asked.

"Ah yes, it's behind the counter. I was wondering when you were coming to get it. It's just as you asked." He answered.

"Oh my gosh…it's _awesome_! Thanks Sagisu-san!" Karin exclaimed.

"Sir, if I may, what did she order?" Toushirou inquired.

"I'm sorry but I'm not _allowed_ to say by order of Karin herself. She doesn't want _anyone_ to know of her weapon…it's absolutely _beautiful_ though." He answered.

"Ah well thank you anyway." Toushirou muttered.

"Ah here we are; you may choose whichever sharpener is to your liking. I shall give you a discount because you are Karin's friend but, only this once." He chuckled.

"Thank you Sir, this shall be a big help." Toushirou retorted.

When Toushirou had finally found a sharpener to his liking, he walked to the counter to buy it, and caught a _glimpse_ of a _black_ blade—the tip—sticking out from the clothe it was wrapped in. He paid for his item and the two quickly left the store, Karin eager to drag Toushirou elsewhere.

"Hmm, I don't think they'll last too long; that boy looks at her longingly. Poor boy, Karin's too oblivious to those emotions…she'll never notice. I can only _hope_ that he'll confess one day before she's swept away before his very eyes." Sagisu-san thought as he watched the pair leave.

_Perfectly Perfect:_

"Hello and welcome to _Perfectly Perfect_ where _everyone_ is _perfectly perfect_. Are you here to buy something for your girlfriend?" A worker beamed.

"She is _not_ my girlfriend; she is simply a _friend_, nothing more." Toushirou snapped.

"Thanks for thinking so highly of me." Karin scoffed.

"Wait Kuros…" Toushirou started.

"Master, even _I_ found that to be slightly offensive. I don't think you said that properly; she most likely understood the _reason_ for your statement, but the _tone_ you used conveyed a _different_ and _demeaning_ message." Hyourinmaru commented.

"Excuse me, I don't mean to pry or interfere but, I think she took that to heart. The tone you used made it seem like she was _nothing_," The greeter suggested, "not even a _friend_; I suggest you apologize later. She seems to be a _firecracker_ so it's best if you let her simmer for a bit before apologizing."

He spent only five minutes in the store—eager to leave—before he found something he _thought_ Rangiku might like. Not exactly _caring_ if she liked it or not, he paid for it and quickly left the store, having seen Karin leave earlier.

"Damn, where is she? If I were Kurosaki, I would be…in that sports store…or maybe she went to get something to eat? I'll try the sports store first, then…wherever you go to eat." Toushirou thought.

_Sport Store:_

"Yo Takei, what do you have today!" Karin yelled.

"Oi Karin, do you have to be so loud?" The cashier griped.

"Oh stuff it Hibiki, you're only mad because your cousin's team lost to us last weekend." Karin spat.

"Oi Oi, don't try cutting each other's throats here…I don't wanna clean up the mess." Takei sighed.

"Glad to know you care." Karin said sarcastically.

"Of course, it's my _job_ to care." Takei snickered.

"Oi Takei just her to the new stuff," Hibiki sighed, "maybe she'll shut up then. And I'm _not_ miffed about Yari losing to your team."

"I didn't say you were _miffed_, just said you were _mad_." Karin grinned.

"Oh shut up you evil moron!" Hibiki snapped.

"Karin, let's go before his head explodes…although that'd be interesting." Takei joked.

"Yea, maybe we'd get to see if he has any brains in there." She laughed.

"I'm gonna hit you two with that broom there if you don't shut up." He growled.

"We're going, we're going." Takei laughed.

"So what new…" Karin asked as she trailed after Takei.

"Gosh, if she _ever_ gets a boyfriend, I'll swallow a live fish." Hibiki thought.

_Back of Store:_

"All right, so we just got a shipment of brand new cleats," Takei listed, "some new shin guards…oh, got new water bottles—really cool—um…we've got some new fighter tape, boxing gloves…and some other stuff."

"Awesome, I've got to add a new pair of shin guards to my collection anyways. I'll be checking out that fighter tape 'cuz the ones I have are…sorta covered in blood. I could use another pair of cleats; I'll have to see the price though." Karin rambled.

"What the hell did you do to _cover_ your tape in _blood_?" Takei marveled.

"Heh…well you see Jinta and I were…training and we got pissed off and I…um…well…" Karin babbled.

"You know what; I don't even want to _know_ now. When you two go head-to-head, it gets messy. Oh yea, where _is_ he anyways, he's usually here with you." Takei replied.

"He's busy with baseball practice; I'm here with another _friend_." She spat.

"Your day been shot?" Takei questioned.

"Pretty much, he said I was a _friend_, but it sounded like he _really_ didn't care that I was there. You know, I thought of him as another Jinta, but I it's not the other way around. I'm probably," Karin raged, "_meaningless_ in his eyes. Whatever, can you just show me those cleats?"

"Sure thing Karin, let's see if I can brighten your day somehow." He chuckled, pulling her along.

"Thanks Takei." She grinned.

_Front of Store:_

"Hello and welcome to _World Sports_. I'm Hibiki, how can I help you today?" Hibiki greeted.

"I'm looking for a girl about this tall, long black hair in a ponytail, carrying a _sword_ on her…" Toushirou listed.

"Oh Karin, yea she's…wait, are you her _boyfriend_?" Hibiki marveled.

"No, I'm just her…" Toushirou began.

"Oh thank God, I thought I was going to have to swallow a live fish." Hibiki sighed.

"Some humans are _very_ strange." Toushirou commented.

"I agree Master, well maybe not _all_, but this one definitely is. Oh, I hear her laughter somewhere in the back." Hyourinmaru agreed.

"Yea she's in the back with Takei…sounds like they're having fun by the sound of it." Hibiki continued.

"Thank you Sir." Toushirou responded before running off.

"Hmm, maybe I _will_ have to swallow a live fish soon. Let's hope not." Hibiki thought.

_Cleats Section:_

"Whoa, these are so awesome! I _love_ the color; the black paint blots are so cool! These are _awesome_; I don't think any on the shelves beat these." Karin beamed.

"Someone's happy now; I'll show you a few more before you actually decide on one. I thought you might like these too." Takei laughed.

"Oh these are _awesome_ too; wow, you seriously know my style." Karin remarked.

"Well, you're almost always in here; I've learned what you like you know." He replied.

"True, that makes sense. Do you know Jinta's style too? How 'bout Yuzu's…and Maki's…and…" Karin listed.

"I know Jinta's and Yuzu's, but not Maki's…well, not as well as you three. As for your other friends, they're not in here as much as you three so it'd be hard to remember theirs." Takei answered.

"Oh that makes sense too. Show me the third pair." She smiled.

"Who the hell is _that_? How can she just sit there and _laugh_ with _him_ like I'm not even _here_?" Toushirou growled.

"Easy Master, you have not even announced your presence." Hyourinmaru consoled.

"She should be able to sense my reiatsu; she's been able to track me like that since she was a child." He snapped.

"Maybe she is still angry from your earlier comment." Hyourinmaru offered.

"Oh…right, I guess that was a stab to her heart as that woman said earlier." Toushirou murmured sadly.

"What, damn…I don't have enough money now. You think you can hide them for me?" Karin pleaded.

"Hmm, I _guess_ I could try hiding them…what's in it for me?" Takei grinned.

"A week's supply of free food at the café." Karin bargained.

"Two weeks." Takei stated.

"Hmm…all right, we have a deal." Karin agreed.

"What _deal_ are you making Kurosaki?" Toushirou questioned.

"A deal for cleats, what's it to you?" She snapped.

"Oh, I'm guessing _he's_ the one you're here…Karin you're friends with a…well…it makes sense considering you're…but…wait Yuzu would probably…" Takei babbled.

"He's _not_ a delinquent if that's what you're thinking; his hair is _naturally_ white. Anyway, you'll get free food for _two_ weeks at the café if you hide those cleats for me 'til I get the money." Karin restated.

"How much are those cleats Kurosaki?" Toushirou inquired.

"They're 5,936.77¥ (75 USD/52.0906€). I only brought 1,535.60¥ (20 USD/13.8908€) so I can't get them. Besides, I already spent 396.785¥ (5 USD/3.47270€) at the arcade, so I only have 1,151.70¥ (15 USD/10.4181€)." She explained.

"I'll get them; I know you'll use them. Is there anything _else_ you were planning on buying?" He asked.

"Uh…no, I just wanted these cleats. Don't worry about it Toushi I'll just…" Karin started.

"I said: I'll buy them. Or do you _not_ want them?" Toushirou whispered into her ear.

"Uh…I…um…wel…yea I want them but…" Karin stammered.

"Just buy them for her; she's too stubborn to agree but deep down inside, she's jumping for joy." Takei advised.

"Takei, don't say something like…oi don't hand those over to…Toushirou get back here!" Karin called after him.

"Heh, still think," Takei snickered, "you're _meaningless_?"

"Oh shut up." She huffed before chasing after Toushirou.

"Heh Heh, I think she's _more_ than a friend." Takei chuckled to himself.

_Underground Mall:_

"Oi Toushi, you didn't have to buy those you know…but thanks." Karin smiled.

"Think of it as an apology. I didn't mean to offend you earlier I…I just…" Toushirou trailed off.

"It's fine Toushi, I'm not pissed off anymore. All I had to do was remember that you're a _really_ guarded person; you keep yourself behind your wall of ice after all." She explained.

"You sound like Matsumoto when you say that." He snorted.

"That's because we _both_ see past that wall. Why do you think Matsumoto stays with you even when you're really grumpy?" Karin pointed out.

"Then why do _you_ stay with me?" He questioned.

Because you're my friend Toushi; friends don't abandon each other no matter _what_ the stakes. You're like my other Jinta." She beamed.

"So, she simply considers me as a friend? That's a bit disheartening. As I said, she wouldn't and _doesn't_ return my feelings. Are you satisfied Hyourinmaru?" Toushirou scoffed angrily.

"I'm sorry Master," Hyourinmaru listed, "it does seem like she harbors feelings for you, but does not want you to see them. Look at her face. Did you not see her reaction when you stood up for her at the arcade and when you bought her that pair of shoes? And when you two were close to each other in the arcade, she had a faint red color to her cheeks. Not to mention the faint smile on her face when you were believed to be her _boyfriend_. You must _search_ if you wish to find."

"Oi Toushi, we should go back to headquarters." Karin suggested.

"Ah, it seems like this place is getting crowded now." He agreed.

_Substitute Headquarters:_

"Well, I'm off to train in the Dojo. I've got a competition in two weeks, not to mention you'll be examining me soon. Plus, I have to work on my kicks since I didn't like the way I scored that goal last weekend." Karin informed as she began walking away.

"Wait, it'd probably be beneficial for _me_ to watch you; one must learn things about their enemy." Toushirou declared.

"Sure but…you'll be _completely_ blind." Karin stated.

"And why is that?" He questioned.

"It's a special _Seal_ I've created just using my reiatsu. So far, I'm the only person who can use them since _I_ created them. The seal I was gonna use keeps you from hearing, seeing, smelling, and tasting; it'll allow you to use your sense of _touch_, but that's it. So, even if you come to _watch_ you can't." Karin explained.

"Hmm, then I'll simply be your opponent. I'll have a feel for your style and you can practice as if you were currently at your competition." Toushirou bargained.

"Yea I guess that works. But remember, you won't be able to see or hear me so keep your hands on me…sorry, that didn't come out right. Hmm, you better stay close to me if you don't want your ass kicked." Karin reminded.

"I'll keep that in mind then." Toushirou replied.

"Oh and Toushi, you should probably head up to Jinta's room and grab a pair of shorts so you don't have to fight in those pants." Karin suggested as she walked towards the dojo.

_Dojo:_

"So, what are you planning on doing? I know you're not gonna go full force 'cuz that'd be giving everything away so what are you doing?" Kamikaze asked.

"I'll be going…two-thirds I guess; that'd be cool because he'd know I was somewhat serious. Whatever, better change too." Karin answered.

"Kurosaki…Kurosaki…where did she…?" Toushirou questioned.

"I'm in the next room Toushi; I'm getting changed so don't open the doors." Karin called.

"I have no response to that." He chuckled.

"Heh, you're finally laughing too. But, you won't be laughing once the lights are off." Karin smirked as she entered the dojo.

"Just get on with the seal Kurosaki." He sighed.

"Yami no Fuin (Seal of Darkness). Let's get this…" Karin trailed off.

"She wasn't kidding; I can't even see my own…" Toushirou thought.

He had no time to finish observing the room as Karin's foot—felt like one—slammed into Toushirou's ribs. He was thrown into the wall and then attacked once more with a flurry of punches. He retaliated as soon as he felt her left hand pull back; he grabbed her right fist with his left hand and threw her across the room. He followed after her and whipped his right hand about until he felt it collide with a body. A number of blows were exchanged between the pair before Karin was thrown back, flying through one of the doors. Noticing the lack of darkness, he sped after her hoping to get the upper hand, but was shocked when the shield _followed_ them. Karin smirked as she watched him stare at the sky, completely awestruck by the happening. She memorized his position and zoomed towards him, only to have her palm strike blocked. She used her elbow—right—to knock Toushirou's wrists away from her other hand (he used an X-Block). She succeeded and made to kick him, only to have him grab her ankle and whip her around, throwing her into another wall. She grunted as she made contact with said wall before using Shunpo to appear by his side and jab at his kidney. She felt him arc backwards at the touch and took the opportunity to kick his legs out from underneath him. Unfortunately he saw through that move and turned it around, using it on her. She fell to the floor, but quickly rolled away, narrowly avoiding another punch. She hopped to her feet and ran at him; she jumped into the air and landed a spinning kick to what she felt as his jaw, guessing he had stumbled backwards. She followed up with another kick to the head, successfully forcing him to another door. Her elbow made contact with his abdomen, and he doubled over in pain, allowing her to flip him over. He landed on his back, open to all attacks, but blocked another strike with his feet, catching her wrist between his ankles. He felt another fist whiz past his head and grabbed it as it was pulled back. He pulled her forward and delivered a blow to her jaw, returning the favor from a few minutes ago. She knocked her forehead against his, causing them _both_ intense pain, but thankfully succeeded in freeing her entrapped wrist. She returned to a standing position and disappeared, not wanting to give him time to memorize her place. He must have felt the wind from her movement, because he was suddenly behind her and delivered two kicks to her ribs and an elbow to her spine. She stumbled back—yes back—in pain and gave Toushirou the opportunity to keep her in a headlock. Thankfully she had recently learned how to escape said move and smashed her hand against his nose and punched his pelvic area. He immediately released her—nose was broken—and jumped away, wanting to distance himself after the painful blow. He mentally counted the number of bruises, scrapes, and broken bones; he counted twenty—approximately—bruises, three broken bones, and a few scrapes here and there. While he was busy tallying up his injuries, Karin took to striking him again, but he noticed a slight change in her style: she was moving at a faster pace and going for more _vital_ points. Toushirou quickly adjusted to this change, trying to block each blow to keep himself from losing the battle (isn't this a friendly spar?). He finally got the upper hand when Karin lost her footing—random sock lying around—and missed her mark. He went in for another strike but unfortunately misjudged Karin's position and fell forward, bringing her down in the process. She made to say something, but remembered her seal blocked all senses besides touch; she sighed mentally and looked up to feel hot breath on her neck. She stiffened, knowing how close Toushirou was, but tried to calm herself down; no such luck.

_Karin:_

"Hmm, this is getting sorta…_hot_ if you catch that current." Kamikaze joked.

"Get those dirty thoughts out of your head." Karin snapped.

"I wasn't thinking any. Ho~, were _you_ thinking some dirty thoughts, huh Karin?" Kamikaze probed.

"Hell no, I was…_not_ thinking of anything. Just wondering how to get him off me. He's pretty heavy actually…probably all his muscle. Hmm, I wonder how that feels?" Karin rambled.

"And she said she _wasn't_ thinking any dirty thoughts." Kamikaze mumbled to Harin.

"She's _not_ thinking any…okay scratch that; it's getting _really_ awkward in this brain of hers." Harin mentioned.

_Toushirou:_

"This is _not_ a favorable position." Toushirou growled.

"Master, it is _futile_ to deny yourself; please, _please_ admit these things to yourself. If you will not say it aloud, then say it silently. All this inner turmoil is creating unwanted snowstorms." Hyourinmaru pleaded.

"I apologize, they shan't last forever. It should be easy to get rid…" Toushirou started.

"It will _not_ be as easy as you say it will be. I have traded masters throughout the years and if there's _one_ thing I've learned about all living and dead creatures, is that _love_ is a _strange_ emotion. It is _not_," Hyourinmaru lectured, "an _easy_ emotion to overcome; there is pain, sadness, turmoil, happiness, and joyous occasions, but only if you _allow_ yourself to experience these things. Master for _once_: Take a Leap of Faith!"

"Hyourinmaru…are…are you lecturing me about…_love_? I would appreciate if you returned my Zanpakutou; I do _not_ wish to fight with anyone _else_ besides Hyourinmaru." Toushirou demanded.

"Toushirou, Hitsugaya Toushirou, I _am_ Hyourinmaru and you _will_…nothing, you're hopeless at this point." Hyourinmaru sighed, retreating into his world.

"Am I really that hopeless?" He wondered aloud.

_Dojo:_

Still at a loss, both teens felt around, hoping to pinpoint _exactly_ where the other one was, somehow giving into their hormones. Toushirou dragged his _cold_ fingers across Karin's face, feeling her long eyelashes, her smooth skin, the bridge of her nose, her soft lips, and chin—perfect for tilting upward in his mind. Karin was busy nearly clawing at his abs, feeling the faint outlines of them. Of course she wasn't about to stop there; she moved her hands upwards, feeling his face, all features, and finally moved to her favorite place: his hair. She ran her fingers through it as she normally did, but she got a different reaction than she usually did: he moved closer to her face, nuzzling his nose into her collarbone.

"Um Karin, this is nice and all but, you might wanna stop before you start thinking any farther. You _know_ you can't date him for _obvious_ reasons, even if you _want_ to, you _can't_. He's married to paperwork and you're married to soccer and school. Not to mention you live in two different worlds. Just…Just," Kamikaze advised sadly, "undo the seal and get out of here. We'll just ride the currents to get your mind off of things…unless you wanna go see Jinta or Yuzu."

"Ah, I…I'll undo it. Thanks Kaze, I knew I couldn't be in a relationship, that's why I keep my feelings in a box with a lock, and watch the clock go _tick-tock_." Karin replied, trying to sound happy.

"In the Dark we cannot See; In the Dark we should not Be. In the Dark, evil Rises; In the Light, we see their Demises. Break this seal with your Light, Break this seal with all your Might; Break this barrier and leave us Be, Break this barrier and set us Free. Harai Nokeru (Dispel)!" Karin recited.

Almost immediately, gales of wind whipped about, slicing through the walls of darkness, allowing their senses to return. The light from the sunset shone through the broken doors, temporarily blinding the two. Realizing they were still in a compromising position, Toushirou quickly rolled away and sat up, not _daring_ to look Karin's way.

"W…W…We…Well um…um…s…sorry, I sorta…got…um…carried away I guess. Heh…a…da…damn hormones," Karin laughed nervously, "they like making everything awkward don't they?"

"A…A…Ah, I agree. Um…I…I apologize for my actions earlier they w…we…were…um…_uncalled_ for. I apologize, I…um…didn't mean to…to violate you…in…in any way. Please…Please forgive me." Toushirou stuttered.

"No, it's totally fine. We both got carried away, don't take _all_ the blame." She smiled, crawling over to face him.

"No please I…_I_ deserve the punishment. _My_ actions were uncalled for." He protested.

"So mine weren't?" Karin questioned.

"No I'm not…I'm not saying that I…I…" He trailed off.

"So you're in the wrong and I'm in the right yet we did the same thing? Are you pitying me?" Karin snapped.

"No, I'm not _pitying_ you; I could _never_ do that. You're not worth someone's pity." He spat.

"Oh, so I'm not worth pity…thanks Toushirou that makes me feel _great_. I may not _like_ being pitied, but that doesn't mean I'm not _worth_ someone's pity. I'll see you at Utada's exam." She snarled before disappearing.

"I'm guessing that didn't come out right _either_. Today…Today is just _not_ my day. I'll need to make it up somehow." Toushirou sighed as he wiped his face with his hands.

"I would advise you to do so; if she releases that anger upon you during her exam…I doubt you'll walk away with a few bruises and broken bones. You may be in need of Inoue-san's healing powers." Hyourinmaru advised.

"Ah, I'll do just that." Toushirou stated with determination.

_Nearby Rooftop:_

"Damn Karin, you really could've started something you moron. Now I'll have to fix this and put this back together. The things I do for you; now to find some way to get them talking." Someone plotted.

"They should _really_ just _admit_ their feelings to each other; the sexual tension between them is _killing_ me! Do they not _see_ it? Do they not _feel_ it; 'cuz _I_ do!" Another person ranted.

"I know right! See Eesu, _this_ is why we fight side-by-side!" Jinta cried.

"I thought we fought side-by-side because we're supposed to kill Hollows and Arrancar." Eesu mentioned.

"Forget it…you don't get it." Jinta sighed.

_Next Day:_

_Urahara Shoten:_

"All right, so who am I going against today?" Ichigo asked.

"That would be me. I'm Utada Hideaki, I'll tell you right now: My Kidou isn't the best. I'm sorry if I look like a fool." Utada admitted.

"That's fine kid; I can't even do one spell." Ichigo smiled.

"I'm so happy you're fighting me." Utada rejoiced.

"Do you at least know how to hit a mark & put up two barriers?" Ichigo asked.

"Yea, I can perform Hadou spells 1-33 and Bakudou spells 1-9; I know how to do twenty-one but…let's not test that one out. It doesn't," Utada answered, "end well for _either_ of us."

"Okay, so you pass the Kidou part. Let's test you on other things." Ichigo laughed before walking out to the testing area.

"Taichou, I love your brother. He's not only cool, but he's cool!" Utada beamed.

"Uh…what does that even _mean_?" Karin asked.

"I don't…I don't know, it just sorta came out. Bye Taichou!" Utada replied before running off.

"Well, at least he _warned_ Ichi-nii…would've been _bad_ if he _didn't_." Karin muttered.

"Oi Karin, why don't you go help Mao while Yasu and I warm up!" Jinta called.

"Sure thing, come on Mao." Karin smiled.

"She hasn't spoken _one_ word to _him_ at _all_ today. Sheesh, and I thought _I_ got the silent treatment; she at least asks me for something or yells at me." Jinta said.

"They probably got into a fight…they like each other." Yasushi commented.

"How do you know that? Never mind, let's go warm up." Jinta sighed.

_Battlefield:_

"All right kid, let's get this exam started." Ichigo grinned.

"Yes Sir!" Utada exclaimed.

* * *

><p><strong>AUTHOR'S NOTES &amp; TRANSLATIONS (AGAIN):<strong>

1) 75 USD/52.0906€

2) 20 USD/13.8908€

3) 5 USD/3.47270€

4) 15 USD/10.4181€

5) Seal of Darkness

6) Dispel

I sincerely thank **EVERYONE** who took the time to read this fanfic. I apologize, once again, for my inexcusable lateness**. *VIGOROUSLY (X2) BOWS IN APOLOGY***

~sayo-chan


	7. Past, Present, Passing

**I DO NOT OWN BLEACH: ALL CREDIT GOES TO KUBO-SAMA FOR HIS BRILLIANCE & CHARACTERS.** I appreciate the time everyone takes to read this fanfic. *Bows in Apology*

**AUTHOR'S NOTES & TRANSLATIONS:**

1) "Twist and Spin, Time Spire!"

2) Intentional (he's only seven)

3) Father Time

4) Foresight but it needed a cooler name

* * *

><p><strong>The Substitute Squad Captain<strong>

_Recap:_

_Urahara Shoten:_

"_All right, so who am I going against today?" Ichigo asked._

"_That would be me. I'm Utada Hideaki, I'll tell you right now: My Kidou isn't the best. I'm sorry if I look like a fool." Utada admitted._

"_That's fine kid; I can't even do one spell." Ichigo smiled._

"_I'm so happy you're fighting me." Utada rejoiced._

"_Do you at least know how to hit a mark & put up two barriers?" Ichigo asked._

"_Yea, I can perform Hadou spells 1-33 and Bakudou spells 1-9; I know how to do twenty-one but…let's not test that one out. It doesn't," Utada answered, "end well for either of us."_

"_Okay, so you pass the Kidou part. Let's test you on other things." Ichigo laughed before walking out to the testing area._

* * *

><p><em><span>Past, Present…Passing:<span>_

_Urahara Shoten:_

_Ichigo V.S. Utada:_

"All right kid, let's get this exam started." Ichigo grinned.

"Yes Sir!" Utada exclaimed.

At first, Ichigo only teased Utada, punching at him here and there, but all could tell Ichigo was _not_ putting forth _any_ effort. Said actions _angered_ Utada—hated being underestimated—and soon Ichigo regretted underestimating him. Utada launched a roundhouse kick at Ichigo's ribs, catching the man off guard, but didn't make contact. Ichigo narrowly dodged the kick, but landed rather awkwardly on his foot, sending him rolling on the ground. Utada followed after him and threw forward his left fist as a distraction—Ichigo stopped it—and and used Ichigo's outstretched hand as a plane; he swung his body upward and rammed his right foot into the side of Ichigo's head. The sheer force, accompanied by reiatsu, was enough to send Ichigo flying into a plateau, making a _large_ crater. Utada appeared before Ichigo and rammed both his fists into Ichigo's stomach, forcing blood up from the man's mouth. Utada inwardly congratulated himself, but those two seconds cost him quite a bit. Ichigo quickly recovered—he's had worse—and retaliated by punching the kid. Utada flew back a few meters and was forced to roll over and narrowly dodge an attack from Zangetsu; Ichigo was obviously putting forth effort now. Utada ran to distance himself from the man, but found that such an action only led to pain; Ichigo let loose three blasts of Getsuga Tenshou, and swiped at Utada before he even had a chance to dodge the three attacks. Unfortunately, Utada was not only blown away from Ichigo, he was now bleeding from several parts of his body, and most likely broke a bone somewhere in his arm.

"Damn, I forgot exactly who he was. He's not just Taichou's brother, he's _Kurosaki Ichigo_; he comes from a family of seriously strong people and he saved Soul Society from Aizen's craziness. I'm so," Utada thought, "stupid."

"You're not _stupid_ Aki-kun, you're just a bit naïve and forgetful at times. Come on, you can always fix the past if you want, change the present for the better, and fritz with the future." A voice cheered.

"All right then, better get to work; let's go Sen-san." Utada grinned.

"Better hurry up kid; you're not getting any handicaps with me!" Ichigo yelled as he ran at him.

Just as Ichigo brought his blade down upon Utada, another blade intercepted the attack. Ichigo looked over Zangetsu and saw the _fury_ and _determination_ in Utada's eyes as the boy held his blade perfectly still, parrying against one of Soul Society's strongest captains.

"Heh, looks like you might pass at this rate, but that's only a maybe right now." Ichigo smirked.

"Good, that gives me a reason to go all out." Utada smiled.

Ichigo jumped back, allowing Utada to right himself before attacking once again. Despite the difference in strength, Utada made up for that in terms of speed, once or twice outrunning Ichigo, or dodging some of the man's surprise attacks.

"Well, this kid definitely has the guts to try standing up to me even though he's pretty quiet. He's damn determined to beat me, and he _hates_ being underestimated, that much _anyone_ can see. He's good with Hakuda; I don't care about his Kidou, who the hell needs it? His," Ichigo rambled, "Hohou is great, but his Zanjutsu, he hasn't shown me anything _good_ yet."

"Then push him to the limit Ichigo. No one will ever learn if someone else doesn't try knocking them down. Urahara didn't go easy on you and you cannot go easy on this child." Zangetsu pointed out.

"Che, King's not _man_ enough to push the kid to the limit. King's too much of a _softie_ and a _wuss_ to…" Hichigo cackled.

"Shut the hell up, you're not _King_ so you don't have the right to speak. As King, I order you to shut up!" Ichigo roared.

"Ichigo, you are acting like a _child_, not a _man_." Zangetsu sighed.

"I told you he's a wuss." Hichigo snickered.

"Pay attention Kurosaki-Taichou." Utada whispered into his ear.

"Oh Sh…" Ichigo began.

Ichigo turned his head to look at Utada, but was completely mistaken, it was a feint; Utada appeared in _front_ of Ichigo—was behind—and stabbed him in the thigh then again in his right arm. Ichigo tried kicking at the boy, but his foot only met with empty space. He looked about, searching for the boy, and finally saw a shadow overhead. He quickly parried with Utada's blade, but took a blow to the head—crown—when Utada bent his body over both blades and kicked—axe kick—him down below. Utada followed after the man, but was thrown back when another burst of Getsuga Tenshou caught him off guard. Suddenly, it turned into a simple fight, blade against blade, but escalated when Utada flipped off a cliff and stabbed his blade into the ground.

"Nejiru to Mawaru, Toki no Sentou1 (Twist & Spin, Time Spire)!" Utada shouted.

"He…He controls _time_! What the hell kind of kid _is_ he? Who the hell wants to contro…actually, a lot of people would want to control time. Hmm, I have a few things I wanna go back and change but…" Ichigo thought.

"Ichigo pay attention!" Zangetsu yelled.

"Why…the…hell…does…he…use…a…halberd?" Ichigo questioned between hits.

"I don't think that is the correct question to be asking at a time like this. You should focus the battle, not your questions. I shan't be answering be answering anymore _needless_ questions." Zangetsu scoffed.

Utada sped back up to Ichigo, determined to demonstrate his skills, but knew he would have to fight for an opening. He parried against another attack from Ichigo, but twisted his halberd and cut Ichigo's cheek, finally drawing blood with his blade. Ichigo jumped back, but Utada foresaw this and appeared behind him, driving the shaft through Ichigo's shoulder. The shaft restricted Ichigo's left arm from moving, but did _not_ restrict his right arm. Foreseeing another one of Ichigo's attacks, Utada jumped back—taking the shaft with him—and took refuge upon a far off cliff.

"How the hell does he keep…he can see all my attacks. Dammit, if he can see all my attacks, then how the hell am I supposed to hit him?" Ichigo wondered.

"Sen-san, it looks like he's thinking about something, but I don't know what. Can you tell?" Utada asked.

"Hmm, he's most likely wondering why you can dodge almost all his attacks now. He's probably thinking it's _my_ doing, but of course that's incorrect…well somewhat anyway." Sen-san answered.

"Oh, I guess I'll confuse him more then go in for another attack and hopefully pass even if I _don't_ defeat him. I'm not strong enough to take him down; I know that as much as anyone here does." Utada planned.

"Then go do what you must." Sen-san encouraged.

_Spectators:_

_Karin & Mao:_

"Taichou, why are you mad at Hitsugaya-san?" Mao asked as she dodged a punch.

"Because he's a jerk," She spat, "and should be locked in a box somewhere away from _me_."

"You don't mean that do you Taichou? You can't mean it because you're not glaring when you say it." Mao said as she kicked Karin's shoulder.

"Why are you even asking me these questions Mao? You're all of what, seven?" Karin chuckled.

"I am seven, but really Taichou, you're really angry, but you're angry for being angry." Mao explained.

"Mao, I _hate_ how you can read people so easily. Where do you get those skills from?" Karin joked.

"You of course Taichou; you're the one who taught me how to watch and ob…ob…swerve people." Mao replied.

"It's _observe_ Mao, _observe_. All right, we should work on your speed, and then your shields, then a combination of everything you've been taught. On your mark…get ready…go!" Karin shouted.

_Jinta & Yasushi:_

"Come on Sushi, you won't hit Hitsugaya if you don't shoot faster!" Jinta yelled.

"Don't call me Sushi!" Yasushi roared.

"Then speed up your attacks! Make it look like you _want_ to be on the squad…but don't overexert yourself. Karin, your mom, and your dad would probably tack me to a building…and take turns…hitting me with my bats." Jinta sniffled as he wallowed in misery.

"_You_ need to get faster." Yasushi spat from behind.

"Heh, gotcha," Jinta snickered, "you're not ready for Hitsugaya yet are you?"

"Wh…?" Yasushi started.

Jinta elbowed the small boy, making him wince in pain, and grabbed his arm, throwing him to the ground.

"Match point, Jinta." Jinta sighed.

"I'm not gonna pass am I?" Yasushi mumbled.

"I don't know Yasu. All I know is, you're going to be graded differently, and Hitsugaya-Taichou is _not_ and _can't_ go full force on you. The Gotei Jyuusan understands that you're only seven. That's why you can't help when we fight Arrancar; you're too small, too young, and too…inexperienced. It's by order of Karin, me, your parents, and the Gotei Jyuusan that you can't get too involved in a fight and you can't be sent alone to handle anything more than a Hollow. Hell, that's the reason Karin won't let you do much at all." Jinta explained.

"Then why does Mao…?" Yasushi began.

"She doesn't get to do much either actually. She does more than _you_, because you _let_ her. I've seen you _both_ take a Hollow or two, but she takes all the glory because you stand in the background. She _always_ gives you a chance, but you don't always take it. Stop second-guessing yourself and go at it; if the enemy is too strong for you, run away and look for help. If you and Mao can take a Hollow on _together_, then do it _together_, don't leave _all_ the work for her. Don't lie, I've _seen_ you two fight and you barely do much. I _know_ you're more of a _planner_, but that doesn't mean you have to sit in the background." Jinta continued.

"A…All…All right, I'll try harder then. Should I start shoting2 (Intentionally misspelled) arrows?" He asked.

"Yea and it's _shooting_ arrows, not _shoting_." Jinta chuckled.

"Oh, I'm sorry. I'll do better next time." Yasushi smiled.

"Good, that's what I wanted to hear." Jinta grinned.

"Okay, let's go!" Yasushi cheered.

_Others:_

"Hitsugaya-Taichou, if I may ask, why is Kurosaki-chan not…?" Kisuke started.

"You may _not_ ask." He replied sharply.

"Heh, it's _obvious_ why she's not talking to him isn't Kisuke?" Yoruichi snickered.

"Ho~, and what might that answer be?" Kisuke mused.

"I have no time for this." Toushirou spat before leaving.

"Heh, guess I _was_ right. He _does_ have a thing for her…he probably screwed up…_badly_." Yoruichi smirked.

"Yoruichi-san, that is not funny…well a bit, but you shouldn't make fun of him. He's inexperienced in that area; all boys have trouble in the beginning, he'll get better though." Kisuke scolded.

"Yea, I _doubt_ that. He's the type of person to just hold those problems in after he's screwed up, do nothing to fix it," Yoruichi pointed out, "and just leave those wounds to fester. He's already unsociable and if _Karin's_ the only person he talks to, then he'll have _no one_. If he doesn't fix this in time…he may just end up in _Fourth Squad_ if he feels Karin's fury."

"Ah…she can be _quite_ scary when she's angry." Kisuke agreed.

"Kisuke…I said her _fury_, not her _anger_." Yoruichi corrected.

"Oh dear…that's not good for _anyone_. She might unleash _him_ if she's _furious_. I hope he does not witness Kurosaki-chan's _fury_, that's the embodiment of evil itself." Kisuke added.

"Tenshou, you don't mean…" Tessai started.

"Ah, _him_, but I hope she won't do that. Maybe she'll just use one of her seals, slice him apart…actually…it's better if she lets him run around." Kisuke babbled.

"Heh, I'd like to see him in a seal when she's _furious_, now _that'd_ be a bloody battle." Yoruichi schemed.

"Yoru…Y…Yo…Yoruichi-san…I don't know if you know this but…you sound like a _sadist_." Kisuke stammered.

"I'm not; I just enjoy two students pushing each other to the limit. It builds character." She snorted.

"Whatever you say Yoruichi-san." Kisuke sighed.

"What was that?" Yoruichi snapped.

"Nothing, I didn't say anything." Kisuke piped.

_Ichigo V.S. Utada:_

"I'm gonna have to go after him with something he _can't_ see." Ichigo grinned to himself.

"Ha, I'm so ready to pulverize, stab, rip…!" Hichigo cheered.

"We're only _testing_ him, not _killing_ him." Ichigo snorted.

"Whatever." Hichigo moped.

"Bankai, Tensa Zangetsu!" Ichigo shouted.

"Oh man, this is _not_ looking good!" Utada panicked.

"Calm down Aki-kun, if you keep a cool head, you'll fight better. Remember, this is _not _about winning, but proving yourself as a reliable squad member. _Winning_ is not _everything_. Always remember that Aki-kun." Sen-san consoled.

Ichigo sped towards Utada, not giving the boy a chance to defend himself and dragged his blade from Utada's right thigh to his left shoulder, leaving a _large_ bloody gash. Knowing the wound was fatal, Utada dashed away and hid behind a large outcropping of rocks; giving him some time to _reverse_ the damage (Ichigo can't sense him anyway).

"He's…he…he's stronger than I…I…I thought and…and really fast too. I'll have to _stop_ him altogether or I'll…I'll be _mincemeat_." Utada panted.

He created a whirlwind—twirling his halberd—about himself, the winds whipping faster and faster with each twirl until he walked out, _completely_ unscathed. Ichigo, who had caught sight of the whirlwind, stared in awe at the state of Utada's body. Seeing his reaction, Utada gave him a slight nod before appearing before the man, bringing his halberd down into Ichigo's shoulder.

"Time Transfer," Utada said, "old wounds."

As Ichigo had expected, Ichigo received the wounds he had previously inflicted on Utada, the pain registering and shooting through all of his nerves. Thankfully, this exam was nowhere _near_ any of the fights he had previously handled—Kenpachi, Byakuya, Aizen, etc.—so he didn't lose focus of Utada as the boy jumped away. Ichigo charged forward, Utada doing the same, but just as Ichigo reached the boy, he flipped over and unleashed a burst of Getsuga Tenshou upon him. Utada was sent smashing into the ground, knocking the poor boy unconscious. Seeing that Utada was _not_ getting up, Ichigo feared he had gone a _little_ too far, and zoomed down to check on him: bad move.

"He's coming…five…four…three…two…got him." Utada smirked.

Ichigo's feet touched the ground and he instantly halted; he was stuck in his defenseless position—blade pointing down and chest unblocked—open to _all_ and _any_ attacks.

"What the hell…?" Ichigo trailed off.

"It's called _Freeze Frame_. Wherever and whatever I stab my halberd with, is within the parameters of _Freeze Frame_. Your body, the ground, and your blade are _all_ part of _Freeze Frame_ as of now. Look down next to you, that's exactly where I stuck my halberd," Utada explained, "earlier; I put down the first stage of _Freeze Frame_."

"Y…You really _can_ control time can't you?" Ichigo marveled.

"No, I…I can't actually. I've always thought it'd be cool and I got to do that, but it's not like I'm _Chichi no Jikan_3 (Father Time)." Utada smiled sadly.

"Oh, so then _that's_ why my wounds are closing up?" Ichigo asked smugly.

"N…N…W…What, I didn't call it down. I didn't say time release." Utada stammered.

"You're supposed to pay attention; don't let the enemy get into your head." Ichigo advised, right next to Utada's ear.

"When did…?" Utada started.

Ichigo grabbed hold of Utada's face and threw the boy into a plateau just across the way. He quickly followed up and slashed at the boy—Utada parried against some—before withdrawing and waiting for Utada to attack. The boy painstakingly picked himself from the rock and fell to the ground. He knew he was tired, he knew he had broken a few bones, he knew he was bleeding from several places; he knew Ichigo was a tough opponent, but none of that was going to stop him. No, the one thing Utada _didn't_ know, was whether he had passed or not, and that was the _one_ thing he wanted to know for sure. He gritted his teeth and used his halberd as a crutch; he wiped the blood from his eyes and mouth before speeding towards Ichigo, faster than before: his determination had faltered, but it had just returned.

"Aki-kun, it's best to think things through while you're parrying against his blade. _Think_ Aki-kun, _think_. Time itself is never-ending, but your thoughts and strategies don't seem to be. _You_ must," Sen-san cooed, "become time; _you_ must become the flow of time."

"I…I…I'll have to use Freeze Frame again, then come back at him with Reverse Sequence to lower his skills. If I keep him trapped in a field of time, he won't be able to avoid being struck with Reverse Sequence. Yea, I think I'll do that." Utada planned.

"Make sure to keep that plan open to other things. Time may be endless, but it is _always_ open to change. Time must _expect_ the _unexpected_; changes are included when you mess with time. _That_ is why you and I limit your abilities with a timer. Remember, your limit for Freeze Frame is only thirty minutes. Reverse Sequence is only fifteen minutes, but Future Tense4 (Foresight, but it needed a cooler name) is constantly working…but remember, it slows down the more you get injured." Sen-san reminded.

"Yea, but what about…?" Utada began.

"No, you may _not_ use _Time Stream_. Kurosaki-Taichou and Hanakari-san _both_ denied you the right to do so, as do _I_. Besides, that was only a fluke; none of my previous Masters were able to use that prior to achieving Bankai which is exactly why it was a _fluke_. You were in too much pain, you were _not_ in the right mind, and you were _definitely_ inexperienced. That was the day you materialized me; I must have gave into your pleads because using that technique is nearly impossible without Bankai." Sen-san explained.

"Damn, _that's_ why I haven't been able to use it again." He scoffed.

"Yes, now pay attention to the task at hand. You have a strategy planned, so go ahead and make good use of it." Sen-san encouraged.

"Got it, I'll make sure I pass…no matter what the cost." Utada promised.

Utada's halberd met with Ichigo's blade and an explosion of reiatsu sounded through the basement; rocks fell from cliffs and plateaus, the spectators faltered and some of the ceiling now had cracks in it. When the smoke and dust cleared, Ichigo was pressed against the ground, just barely pushing back against the halberd's shaft. Utada bounced off the shaft, flipped over Ichigo and made to drive the blade into the man's stomach, but Ichigo _quickly_ moved away. Utada ran about Ichigo, making him a blur, and went for a strike, but only met with Ichigo's open hand; the man had grabbed hold of the shaft and currently had his blade pointed at the boy. Utada immediately moved out of the way; he bent over backwards, using the shaft as a lever and _narrowly_ dodged Ichigo's stab. He pulled back on the halberd, the large blade at the other end _ripping_ through Ichigo's shoulder. The man moved forward just a bit and Utada went to punch him, but said punch was blocked by Ichigo's bare hand. Ichigo pulled Utada forward and sliced off a chunk of skin from his left side. The boy staggered backwards, temporarily losing his grip on his halberd and left himself open for attacks. Ichigo went to chop at him, but Utada's blurry vision had cleared and he moved the halberd in a defensive position, blocking Ichigo's attack. He forced Ichigo's blade back and swung his halberd around, driving Ichigo back just enough to stand straight and prepare for another attack. Ichigo lunged at the boy, but Utada quickly parried and head butted the man, temporarily dizzying Ichigo (Utada was too used to them). Utada made to strike Ichigo, but the man parried much quicker than Utada guessed; Utada jumped back, perplexed by the recent happening.

"You're good kid, I'll give you that, but you haven't fought battles like I have. I've taken even more blows than _this_ and I've _still_ defeated enemies. You've got _way_ less experience than I do." Ichigo explained.

"Experience…experience is acquired over _time_. Experience over time, like a proportion; if experience _decreases_, so does _time_. If I reverse the _time_, then it should decrease his _experience_." Utada calculated.

"Good job Aki-kun, you're making progress, even more so than before." Sen-san cheered.

"You _think_ too much during a battle; I get it though, I was _just_ like that in the beginning." Ichigo reminisced.

"How long ago was _that_?" Utada questioned, baffled by this finding.

"About twelve, maybe thirteen years ago." Ichigo revealed.

"Wow that _is_ a long time ago, but not long enough." Utada whispered into Ichigo's ear.

"Dammit." Ichigo scoffed.

"Reverse Sequence, twelve years!" Utada shouted as he dug his halberd into Ichigo's back.

_Spectators:_

"Oh~, it's going to get _much_ more interesting now." Kisuke mused.

"Why is that?" Toushirou asked suddenly.

"Heh, you're back finally?" Yoruichi grinned.

"It's because Utada-kun is taking away Kurosaki-kun's experience. Kurosaki-kun has _much_ more experience than Utada-kun which is why Utada-kun isn't faring as well as he usually does against _Pawns_, _Bishops_, and Hollows." Kisuke explained.

"What are _Pawns_ and _Bishops_?" Toushirou questioned.

"They are simply the _technical_ terms for Levels Five and Four. Think of Jun's army as a chess game. The pawns are the weakest; the bishops are next, then the knights, then the rooks, then the King and then the Queen. Since there's no real _King_, we've decided to give Jun's guards the rank of _King_, but they're called _Las Guardias_." Jinta answered, appearing beside them.

"Oi Jinta, I'm taking Mao home, she fell asleep! I'll be back in time for Yasu's exam though!" Karin informed.

"Yea Yea, just go!" Jinta replied.

"So, the pieces you just named are in the order of the levels correct?" Toushirou inquired.

"Yup, Pawns are Fives, Bishops are Fours, Knights are Threes, and Rooks are Twos and Ones." Jinta clarified.

"Why are the _Ones_ classified as Rooks as well?" Toushirou interrogated.

"Because you don't go higher than that, the only thing higher is a _Guardia_ and Jun only has thirteen of them." Jinta retorted.

"Thirteen _Guardias_ for our thirteen squads no doubt." Toushirou mumbled.

"Yup, that's the way she designed it. For each squad, a _Guardia_ is appointed. It's brutal the way the _Guardias_ are picked though…everyone has to fight and whoever's left standing in the end is nominated. Then after _that_," Jinta revealed, "you're challenged by the lowest level Guardia to see if you can handle yourself against a Captain."

"I shall have to report this to the Soutaichou later." Toushirou thought.

"Before doing so, you might want to ask if they have already done so." Hyourinmaru advised.

"Have you already informed the Soutaichou of this?" Toushirou inquired.

"Yes. Do you have any _more_ questions?" Jinta sighed.

"Yes, how exactly will Utada-san be taking away Kurosaki's experience?" Toushirou questioned.

"Yasu, explain to him 'cuz I'm tired of answering his damn questions!" Jinta cried.

"Heh Heh, you're funny sometimes Hana-kun. Uta-san jus' takes away the years in Kurosaki-Taichou's head, he actually doesn't mess with _time_. He only messes with the time," Yasushi explained, "in the person's head."

"So a spectator's experience…" Toushirou began.

"Won't be affected at all." Kisuke finished.

"Hmm, then Utada-san might just pass his exam after all." Toushirou mused.

_Ichigo V.S. Utada:_

"Reverse Sequence, twelve years!" Utada shouted as he dug his halberd into Ichigo's back.

The room spun about—in his Ichigo's mind—and he blacked out. He woke up seconds later, completely baffled by the sights before him. He looked around, studying the realistic battlefield, counting the strange looking people from afar, and back to Utada's shining purple eyes.

"Who the hell are you…and why the hell am I here? Wait, a better question: where _is_ here?" Ichigo interrogated.

"Heh, _now_ I'm on equal grounds." Utada smirked.

"Guess again kid; that won't work on me." Ichigo informed.

"W…What the hell, how is it _not_ affecting you?" Utada shrieked.

"I've been lived in Soul Society for a while now and time is _way_ different there. I'm _supposed_ to be twenty-one, but I look like I'm Karin's age. To make it simple: twelve years _here_, is like three years _there_. So, we're back to square one in terms of _experience_; let's get back to work." Ichigo explained.

"No, I forfeit." Utada stated.

"Okay so…wait, you what?" Ichigo stammered.

"I said: I forfeit." Utada repeated.

"You're going to _forfeit_ because your attack didn't work? Just because your super special time attack didn't work, you're giving up?" Ichigo snarled.

"No, that's not it, that's not it at all. I _know_ when to back down and when to keep fighting; I've been doing that for years. My hair and eyes are really strange so it draws _lots_ of attention; I've had to fight against bullies and thugs…and even run away sometimes. So," Utada answered, "I'm giving up here because I know I can't do much more. I could spin my halberd around and around, but if the time flow _there_ isn't the same as _here_, then it probably won't work."

_Spectators:_

"Oh come on, he's doing that damn trick Karin taught him. Damn evil little monster." Jinta spat.

"Heh, that's my Aki for you." Karin smirked.

"When did you get back Kurosaki-chan, I didn't even notice you." Kisuke marveled.

"Oh well…I was hiding my reiatsu as usual. Remember, it's a habit since I've been doing it for so long." Karin smiled.

"She's hiding something, I can feel it. Besides, that smile isn't reaching her eyes, her one hand is curled into a fist, and her legs are too stiff for a normal stance." Toushirou reported.

"Hmm, it would be good to look into that but, you two are not on good terms at the moment. I doubt she would answer you…and it seems Urahara-san is aware of this as well." Hyourinmaru added.

"I assume he knows _exactly_ what she's talking about; I'm guessing it's some sort of code because no one else seems to be put off by this. Whatever she's hiding, she wants to _keep_ it that way. She must be hiding something from the Soutaichou is she's so stiff yet everyone _else_ seems to overlook this." Toushirou concurred.

"Ah, I too agree with that. Would it be best to search her office at…?" Hyourinmaru questioned.

"No, I have a feeling that there will be _some_ sort of alarm system in there. I felt as if there was _something_ watching me while I went in there to get something for her three days ago." Toushirou denied.

"Then you felt it as well? I'm not sure _what_ it is, but it seems…" Hyourinmaru trailed off.

"It doesn't feel like an enemy, but it doesn't feel like an ally either. There _is_ an entity _guarding_ Kurosaki's office, I'm just unsure of _what_ exactly." Toushirou finished.

"Heh, he's got him…he got him good." Jinta snickered.

"I _told_ you that trick works…even on the higher-ups." Karin smiled proudly.

"What is this _trick_ you speak of…Kurosaki-Taichou?" Toushirou asked, _directly_ addressing her.

"Karin taught him how to…" Jinta started.

"I was speaking to _Kurosaki-Taichou_, not you Hanakari-Fuku-Taichou." He snapped.

"Hitsugaya-Taichou, it doesn't seem like she's going to answer you…considering she's walking towards the battlefield as we speak." Kisuke mentioned.

"Wh…When did she get over there?" Toushirou wondered.

"Karin's _much_ faster than what we can actually see. She's _beyond_ Bya-boy." Yoruichi said.

"Excuse me, I didn't mean to say that aloud." Toushirou apologized.

"What the hell are you apologizing for, that doesn't make any sense." Jinta commented.

"Hana-kun…they almos' done. Should we walk too?" Yasushi asked, tugging on his belt.

"Yea, we can go walk." Jinta answered.

"Okay, I show Taichou I got stronger." Yasushi declared.

"Knock 'em dead kid." Yoruichi chuckled.

"Good luck Yasu-kun, you might need it if you're going against Hitsugaya-Taichou." Kisuke warned.

"Thanks guys!" Yasushi beamed.

"He is cuter than an angel." Tessai sniffled, crying happy tears.

"Cough no comment cough." Jinta _coughed_.

_Ichigo V.S. Utada:_

"So you're just gonna _forfeit_?" Ichigo scoffed.

"Yea, it's for the best. If I need to get sent to the Shino Academy, I'll at least be welcomed there…unlike school." Utada smiled sadly.

"Then make some new friends in school. Hang out with Karin and Jinta if you're really _that_ lonely." Ichigo snapped.

"I do but…they've got their own friends and I don't want to get between them and ruin their fun. I already see them outside of school so there's no need to bother them _in_ school." Utada explained.

"You sound like some…" Ichigo began.

"Heh, Taichou's _so_ right about this trick." Utada thought smugly.

"This is very low of you Aki-kun, I cannot condone this." Sen-san stated.

"I'm sorry Sen-san, but I need this to be over with, Yasushi-kun needs to go and he probably has to be in bed by nine or something like that." Utada clarified.

"I guess I'll accept it this _one_ time." Sen-san sighed.

Utada suddenly whipped his halberd upwards and plunged it through Ichigo's abdomen, allowing the tip to stick out of his back. Ichigo doubled over and coughed up an intense amount of blood, swaying slightly on his feet. He looked up at Utada's grim smile, and despite his fatal wound, smiled at the boy.

"That was a…a…a serious…sly low trick _but_, it _did_ ge…get me. You pass, but you might wa…wa…wanna work on yo…your attacks and ironic…ally, your timing. You…You shou…shouldn't exp…ex…expect this tri…trick to work _ev_…_every_ time though." Ichigo choked.

"Thank you Kurosaki-Taichou. I'll reverse these wounds now; I'm nothing like Mao-chan, but I can at least stop the bleeding. You'll still feel the pain though." Utada revealed.

"W…Wa…Wait, you…you were _fine_ though." Ichigo stammered.

"No, I've been in pain all this time. I only _stop_ and _erase_ the wounds…I don't _fix_ the wounds." Utada clarified.

"T…That's one…one…" Ichigo panted.

"One _evil_ ability, yea I know. It sucks but, that's what I've got to work with right?" Utada smiled.

"Oi, you just decimated my brother…good job. Once you're done erasing those wounds, I'll lug him over to Tessai-san so his wounds can _really_ get fixed." Karin chuckled from behind.

"Taichou, it's _really_ creepy when you do that you know." Utada spat.

"I know, but it's a _habit_. It only takes twenty-one days to form a habit and I've been doing that for years so it's _definitely_ a habit." Karin explained.

"Uh-huh, that doesn't make it any less creepy." Utada snorted.

"Oh well, you'll just have to get used to it." She laughed.

"I don't think anyone can do that. Well, maybe Jinta can, but only him." Utada responded.

"I guess, but that's expected. You almost done, because Yasu-kun has to go." Karin asked.

"Yea, just give me a minute." Utada murmured.

_Spectators:_

"Urahara-san, what exactly is Kurosaki hiding?" Toushirou questioned.

"What do you mean, what is Kurosaki-chan hiding? If anything, she'd be hiding punishment awaiting Jinta. That or…she might have broken something upstairs if she took off her bracelets _inside_." He replied.

"Heh, it's probably the latter knowing Karin. Oh well, she's a Kurosaki, it's _bound_ to happen sometimes." Yoruichi snickered.

"My poor shop." Kisuke sighed.

"Hitsugaya-dono, I think it best if you go out towards the battlefield now." Tessai advised.

"Oh Hitsugaya-Taichou, I have one thing to say: beware of Yasushi-kun's arrows…they're _very_ special." Kisuke warned.

"Ah, thank you?" Toushirou replied questioningly.

* * *

><p><strong>AUTHOR'S NOTES &amp; TRANSLATIONS (AGAIN):<strong>

1) "Twist and Spin, Time Spire!"

2) Intentional (he's only seven)

3) Father Time

4) Foresight but it needed a cooler name

As usual, I thank _Everyone_ who took the time to read this fanfic. *Bows in Appreciation* Now then, **PLEASE REVIEW!** Even if all you say is: "Great chapter/ Great job/Can't wait 'til the next chapter/etc." I'd be happy! Excuse me, a bit of an outburst. *Bows in Apology*

~sayo-chan ^_^

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	8. The Misty Sparrow

**I DO NOT OWN BLEACH: ALL CREDIT GOES TO KUBO-SAMA FOR HIS BRILLIANCE & CHARACTERS.** I appreciate the time everyone takes to read this fanfic. *Bows in Appreciation*

**AUTHOR'S NOTES & TRANSLATIONS:**

1) Fly, Misty Sparrow

2) He means "offensive"

3) Incantations

4) distracted

5) Silver Prison (German)

* * *

><p><strong>The Substitute Squad Captain<strong>

_Recap:_

"_Hitsugaya-dono, I think it best if you go out towards the battlefield now." Tessai advised._

"_Oh Hitsugaya-Taichou, I have one thing to say: beware of Yasushi-kun's arrows…they're very special." Kisuke warned._

"_Ah, thank you?" Toushirou replied questioningly._

* * *

><p><em><span>One Quick Quincy:<span>_

_Battlefield:_

"Hi, I'm Ishida Yasushi, I hope I pass." Yasushi beamed.

"Master, I do suggest you keep the injuries and…" Hyourinmaru began.

"Ah, I do _not_ intend to do too much damage. Kurosaki's _already_ angry; I don't need her to be my murderer. He seems to be one of her favorites by the way she hugged him and ruffled his hair. I do not even intend to use more than twenty percent of my full strength." Toushirou interrupted.

"Good, I was worried you might use much more than that." Hyourinmaru sighed in relief.

"I would _never_ do that to a child, no matter _how_ strong they say they are." Toushirou stated.

"Um…Hitsugaya-Taichou, are you gonna do anything?" Yasushi questioned.

"Ah, excuse me, I was lost in thought." Toushirou apologized.

"Taichou says people do that when they're in not family territory." Yasushi giggled.

"You mean to say _unfamiliar territory_?" Toushirou asked.

"Yea that." He muttered bashfully.

"I can see why she enjoys him; he's one of her hidden weaknesses. No matter how much she tries to deny it, Kurosaki is _drawn_ to cute things; she says it's a curse." Toushirou thought.

"Oh yea, I has to give you t'is." Yasushi said as he handed Toushirou a paper.

"Ah, you're a _Quincy_ so I'll be grading you differently. Thank you Ishida-kun." Toushirou responded.

"You can call me Yasu-kun if you wan'. Oh, Taichou has one over there too." Yasushi informed.

"Thank you, we should start now." Toushirou suggested.

"Oh yea, gotta get into _battle mode_ like Hana-kun said." Yasushi beamed.

"Leave it to Hanakari to put certain…" Toushirou began.

He had to quickly dodge a pale blue light—an arrow—as it just barely grazed his nose. His eyes shifted over to where Yasushi had been standing to find empty space. He searched for the small boy and was astounded to find him on a cliff far off. He watched as the boy pulled back on the string and let loose a flurry of arrows in his direction. He swiftly dodged them, but was met with Yasushi's spinning kick. The boy's foot connected with his jaw and sent him stumbling backwards a few centimeters. The bo followed up with two punches before withdrawing and fleeing to the safety of a far off plateau. Toushirou chased after him—leaving some distance—and made to kick at him with his much longer legs. He hit the boy unintentionally slamming the boy into a cliff side. He stood, completely frozen before dashing after the boy, pleading and hoping Yasushi was still alive. Upon arriving, he found empty space, not even a _dent_ where he had sent the boy flying.

"But, there was _smoke_ and I _heard_ rocks falling. If there's no dent, then where did the rocks…?" Toushirou trailed off.

"Tobu, Kasumi Kojaku1 (Fly, Misty Sparrow)!" Yasushi sang as he shot a single arrow.

"He doesn't have a Zanpakutou…but…he's a _Quincy_; they don't need a command to summon their weapon." Toushirou calculated.

"You look…_lost_. Oh, is you confused?" Yasushi asked from behind.

"When…?" Toushirou started.

"Hana-kun said to be on the on-fence2 (offensive) and let my _angry_ side get in my head." Yasushi explained.

"Well, he is only a child…it's _natural_ for him not to fully understand what he's saying if he's been told by an elder." Toushirou sighed.

"Master, I don't think Hanakari-san and Kurosaki would take lightly to you calling them _elders_." Hyourinmaru commented.

"Which is why I…" Toushirou started.

Yasushi landed a kick to Toushirou's spine, thrusting him forward then followed up with series of kicks and punches (didn't hurt Toushirou much), eventually landing one that _did_ hurt Toushirou. Yasushi observed Toushirou's reactions and had been since the beginning of the exam, which helped him notice the wince from his punch. Yasushi sought to focus his next attacks on Toushirou's spine; he landed a rather painful axe kick to Toushirou's spine, following it up another kick with the other leg. He sent Toushirou tumbling downward into the ground, surprising the normally stoic captain. Toushirou picked himself from the rubble and shot back up to meet Yasushi but was again met with empty space.

"Taichou says you should _always_ watch your back." Yasushi quoted.

"You're very fast for someone your age." Toushirou complimented.

"Thank you. Taichou always helps me with my Hirenkyaku 'cuz Otou-san's usually really busy." Yasushi smiled.

"Ah, then you pass the Hirenkyaku part of your exam. You must pass German Spells and Arts _with_ incantations, Arrow Accuracy and Destruction, Hakuda, and Strategies." Toushirou listed.

"Eh, _with_ invitations3 (incantations)…but they take so long." Yasushi groaned.

"So do Kidou in…can…ta…tions but, we all have to learn them. Even _I_ learned the incantations; I practiced them so much that I _don't_ have to use them." Toushirou revealed.

"So…So…So if I practice my in…can…ta…tions I won't have to use 'em no more?" Yasushi questioned.

"No you will not. If you," Toushirou answered, "want to become more proficient in your spells and arts, then you'll have to learn and practice the incantations while you're still young."

"Okay, then I gonna learn 'em today." Yasushi huffed.

"He's quite an ambitious and determined child." Hyourinmaru commented.

"Ah, he is _very_ different from his father. Even _I_ have a dislike for that man." Toushirou responded.

"That is very hard to believe Master, you two act nearly the same way. The only difference between your attitudes is you do not try defending your pride as much as Ishida Uryuu." Hyourinmaru pointed out.

"There is no gain in solely defending one's pride." Toushirou recited.

"A silver rod strikes the five-fingered stone bed, Quintuple Restraining Frames!" Yasushi chanted.

"Well, he at least knows one." Toushirou thought.

Yasushi flung a capsule of silver liquid at Toushirou, hoping to entrap him in the spell, but Toushirou sped away before the liquid could even reach him. Determined to pass his German Spells and Arts area, Yasushi sped off after Toushirou, hoping to use another spell. He finally closed the distance between them and grabbed Toushirou's ankle, pulling the teen backwards towards him. Toushirou threw his sickle back at Yasushi's hand effectively slicing it—not too deep—and making the boy withdraw. Toushirou swerved and faced the oncoming boy, but was met with a rather large arrow. He took the hit and instantly regretted focusing on Yasushi's tug. The arrow hit his chest and Toushirou was thrown back into a cliff side, forming a large crater behind him. As if the explosion was not enough, a hazy mist stayed low, circling about the dazed teen. Toushirou made to move, but felt too sluggish and dizzy. He fought against the symptoms and stood ready to leap away, but was hit with a barrage of arrows from above.

"He's trying to numb my…my senses…or…or my body. Either way, he's…he…he's focusing on trying…try…trying to slow me down." Toushirou surmised.

"Master, you must _not _let this get the best of you." Hyourinmaru snapped.

"R…Right…Right…Right…" Toushirou mumbled groggily.

"Master, wake up, do _not_ succumb to this sleepiness!" Hyourinmaru yelled.

"Yes, I was too distracted. This attack works _much_ better if the target is _already_ exhausted. I now understand why Urahara told me to watch for his arrows." Toushirou responded.

"It is good to see you awake Master." Hyourinmaru sighed.

"Feel the wrath of battle and accept this sacred chalice, Sacred Bite." Yasushi chanted.

Suddenly, a large pillar fell where Toushirou _used_ to be. The teen swiftly fled to the safety of a nearby plateau, glad to have avoided said attack and leave the mist.

"I hate these boring old spells and arts. They're too boring to work." Yasushi pouted.

"How exactly do you keep appearing _behind_ me? I don't sense you at _all_ yet you're only a child. How is that even possible?" Toushirou interrogated.

"Taichou and Otou-san teached me how to run. Otou-san helps me with my spells and arrows even though he's not home all the time. And Kaa-chan shows me how to keep myself from getting hurted all the time. Oh, and Taichou teached me to be _really_ quiet so no one can hear me; that's why you can't find me." Yasushi explained.

"No wonder I can't sense him very well; _Kurosaki_ taught him, she's stealthier than Soi Fon-Taichou in some cases." Toushirou mused.

"No, I can't use another now. I no need another can again, but he not dizzy or mistracted4 (distracted). I gotta wait 'til there's _lots_ of smoke everywhere so he no see me." Yasushi plotted.

"Souten ni Zase, Hyourinmaru," Toushirou called, "I shall be getting serious as of _now_ Ishida Yasushi."

"Yay, now I can try using my _angry side_." Yasushi smiled.

"H…He…He wasn't using his _angry side_ as he says? If his angry side means his full power, fueled by anger, rage, and whatever pent up emotions he has then…" Toushirou trailed off.

"Then he knew you were holding back from the very beginning. As for those arrows, I'm assuming those were just a weakened state; if it is as I presumed, then it would do well to heed Urahara's warning." Hyourinmaru finished.

"Ah, he seems to be much more dangerous…his reiatsu is increasing, but only slightly." Toushirou reported.

_Spectators:_

"I just hope he goes sorta easy on Yasushi…he's only seven. Hell, Karin doesn't even let him do much without someone's supervision. If he tries tackling a Hollow by himself…bad things happen to him." Jinta commented.

"Of _course_ he'll go easy on him. I doubt he'll use more than ten percent of his actual strength and power. Despite Hitsugaya-Taichou's frosty and unfriendly mannerisms, I do not see him as a _sadist_. Besides," Kisuke supported, "if he were to hurt Yasushi-kun…"

"I'd show him my true powers _before_ my exam. He wouldn't even be able to grade me because he wouldn't be able to stand up after I got done with him." Karin scoffed.

"Dammit Karin you're scary as hell. How the hell do you do that?" Ichigo marveled.

"It's a _habit_ Ichi-nii, I do it subconsciously I swear. I don't see the problem though, it should be a good thing that I can hide from everyone right? Well, _almost_ everyone." Karin retorted.

"Who _can't_ you hide from?" Ichigo questioned.

"Well, she's never been able to hide from me, stronger Captains and officers would probably be able to feel her if they're _really_ paying attention. Hmm, Shihouin-san can find her sometimes, Yuzu can _always _find her, and…some specially designed Arrancar." Jinta listed.

"Specially designed Arrancar…?" Ichigo trailed off.

"Jun knows hwat my reiatsu feels like and one day some Arrancar fought me and ran off with my sleeve. Jun took some reiatsu from it and _designed_ some Arrancar to find me no matter how well I hid myself." Karin explained.

"Are there any more or did you kill them all?" Kisuke asked.

"They're all dead. We did that during that _mission_." Karin replied.

"Ah, I remember that one. You were…" Kisuke began.

"You were so screwed up after it…I remember how sore I was the next morning…well, when I woke up anyhow. How long was I out for again?" Jinta covered up.

"I…I think you were out…for three days." Karin guessed.

"Don't know…sure let's go with three because I really can't remember." Jinta said.

"Hmm, it looks like Yasu-kun is finally getting the hang of some of his spells and arts he made. I told Ishida-san he's no good with the old spells and arts…it's just not…not _him_." Karin smiled.

"That's Ishida for you; he's too much of a _prick_ and a _stiff_ to break his old habits. Everything's _tradition_ with him; he should be part of the Gotei Jyuusan because that's all they ever rant about. They're probably more concerned with _tradition_," Ichigo raved, "than they are with training and regulating paperwork and stuff."

"Calm down Ichi-nii, it's not like they're gonna change it while you're gone." Karin spat.

"Hey, he finally got him." Jinta reported.

_Toushirou V.S. Yasushi:_

Yasushi zoomed towards Toushirou, stealthily grabbing a Scheele Schneider from his belt. He met Toushirou's blade head-on, but did not have the strength to keep Toushirou's blade from cutting into his shoulder. Toushirou _quickly_ retracted his blade, fearful of getting too lost in the fight; Yasushi sent his fist flying into Toushirou's chest, causing the teen to slam into a cliff nearly eight meters away. Yasushi suddenly appeared before Toushirou, grabbed his ankle and threw him downward, hoping he would hit the ground. Toushirou collided with the ground, but rolled out of the way as long poles rained down upon him. He took to the skies and sent three icy dragons flying at Yasushi, but the boy destroyed all three. As usual, the boy got behind Toushirou and dug his Scheele Schneider into his back, sucking away some of Toushirou's reiatsu. Feeling this, Toushirou dashed to the other side of the battlefield, examining himself, then looked back to the boy, marveling his strategy.

"He seems to mold his reiatsu into his body parts and send his enemies flying away so he can get them while they're in a dazed state. Not only that, but he is capable of _performing_ his spells, but he has _yet_ to injured me with one. As for that…" Toushirou reported.

Amidst his thoughts, Yasushi used his Scheele Schneider as a large arrow and shot it at the rocks below Toushirou. Puzzled, Toushirou looked down, but suddenly understood that it was merely a distraction; Yasushi punched Toushirou's right cheek and rammed his knee into his diaphragm. Toushirou stumbled backwards and gave Yasushi enough time to entrap him within a German spell.

"Trap and Chain, keep them there 'til I shout thy name: Silber Gefängnis5 (Silver Prison in German)!" Yasushi chanted.

A large cage of silver dropped down upon Toushirou, dragging him down to the ground as it fell. His body collided with the ground, breaking his left wrist and tearing open _another_ wound on his torso. He stood up, waiting for something to happen, but nothing did; no arrows were shot, no hidden bombs exploded, no swords pierced his body, nothing, absolutely nothing.

"What exactly _is_ this?" Toushirou wondered.

"It seems to be a cage of some sorts but…I was expecting something _else_ to follow up." Hyourinmaru answered.

"If this is his way to unnerve me then he is doing a _very_ good job. So far he has passed in four of the five areas he's being tested on. His ability to form strategies despite his age is interesting; I'm sure he has been taught that by his father though. As for his speed," Toushirou reported, "he is nearly as fast as Kusajishi-Fuku-Taichou. His Hakuda could use work, but he has many years to train for that; I have yet to see _anything_ interesting or effective regarding his arrows. Overall, I would give him a passing grade, but I still would like to see his archery skills."

"Ah, as a _Quincy_ he must be profiecent in archery as it is nearly their only way of fighting. Despite that, he seems quite capable of handling himself against a _minor_ Hollow." Hyourinmaru added.

"If he this is his way of demanding an ans…" Toushirou began.

"Master, he seems to be doing something on the far left!" Hyourinmaru exclaimed.

Yasushi had finally placed the last Scheele Schneider needed for his Sprenger, but such a technique was unfamiliar to Toushirou, so the danger the captain was in did not _fully_ register. Toushirou watched as Yasushi poured silver liquid onto one of the sticks; his eyes widened as the blinding blue lights raced across the dirt and connected with the cage, an explosion occurring from the impact.

"Silber Gefängnis (Silver Prison in German; in case you forgot)!" Yasushi shouted.

Almost immediately, Toushirou was freed from his cage and fell to his knees, thoroughly amazed and charred from the explosion. Yasushi calmly walked over to the teen and stretched out his hand, figuring Toushirou was too injured to do much at this point.

"Did I pass Hitsugaya-Taichou?" Yasushi asked.

"Y…Yes, yes you do." Toushirou choked out.

"Yay, thank you Hitsugaya-Taichou," Yasushi exclaimed, "what did I do best?"

"I…I th…think it woud…would be your…your Hakuda and German Spells. Y…You…You should work on your archery…archery skills though." Toushirou replied.

"Okay then, I'll try harder n…" Yasushi trailed off.

"Kid…Kid…dammit. He's tired himself out; he…he's bruised and cut on several places even though I went easy on him. He…He was probably running on sheer willpower just now. He was _definitely_ trained by Kurosaki and Ishida-san." Toushirou babbled.

"Master hurry, his robes are becoming redder and redder as the minutes pass." Hyourinmaru urged.

_Spectators:_

"Oh my…Yasushi-kun…" Kisuke gasped.

"Huh what are…Yasu?" Jinta exclaimed.

"Hitsugaya-Taichou, what happened?" Tessai asked in an alarmed tone.

"He used some sort of explosive technique. It…It must have tired him out. I apologize…I…I didn't…didn't mean to…to hurt him all this much." Toushirou replied.

"Yasu…Yasu…" Karin murmured.

He—Toushirou—heard the frightened tone in her voice and noticed a slight tremble on her lips. He knew it was unintentional and he could clearly see Jinta felt the same, but he wasn't sure if _Karin_ saw it that way. He was too embarrassed and too ashamed of himself to even look at her sad face and tense body. Without another thought, he handed Yasushi to Tessai and disappeared from the area, not wanting to be in _anyone's_ presence at that moment.

_Railing:_

"Master, there is no reason to mope and wallow in misery. You were not at fault and I highly doubt Ishida-kun blames you. He flashed you a small smile before he passed out and I'm sure that he's busy telling Kurosaki and Hanakari that," Hyourinmaru consoled, "it was _not_ your doing. I'm sure they _all_ saw him use that explosive technique and that interesting spell; I _doubt _Kurosaki blames you at all."

"Your words may be comforting _now_, but I'm not so sure any words of apology will _comfort_ Kurosaki. We _both_ know her temper and her violent ways when something hurts those close to her. Compared to her squad, family, and the people she sees on a daily basis, I am merely an outsider. I may have a place by her side, but I ruined my status yesterday and even more so today. I wanted to apologize to her today but…I don't think that's going to happen." Toushirou explained.

"I would not think so. She may be angry from yesterday's events, your comment especially, and a little perturbed from your recent actions, but I _highly_ doubt you have lost your place as her friend." Hyourinmaru argued.

"No, she most likely hates me." Toushirou sighed aloud.

"I never said that." A voice stated.

"K…Kurosaki…?" Toushirou stuttered.

"Obviously, who _else_ can stand somewhere for seven minutes without you knowing they were standing behind you?" Karin snorted.

"Not many others." He replied.

"Anyways, I don't _hate_ you. I'm still _really_ pissed off about yesterday, but I don't hate you for what you did to Yasu. Sure he's still unconscious, but he's not _dead_. If you had tested him like you did Fujiwara, then you might have killed him but you _didn't_. So…for that I'm grateful; thank you for going easy on him." Karin rambled.

"Y…Y…You're welcome." He muttered.

"Ah, Kurosaki, I have a question. Urahara told me to be wary of Ishida-kun's arrows, but they didn't seem to do anything." Toushirou mentioned.

"Heh, that's because he didn't activate them. I told him _not_ to." Karin chuckled.

"Why exactly?" He asked.

"If he had _activated_ his arrows, you wouldn't be able to use Hyourinmaru." She stated.

"Why is that?" He questioned.

"His _Kasumi Kojaku_ spreads a mist right? That mist, is only there to suck up your reiatsu. He used it _once_, but he hit you with some other little arrows right? When those hit, they pinpoint certain areas of your body; they sink into your skin like leeches and suck you dry. Not to mention, that mist needs water from the air to function so…it would've sucked away Hyourinmaru's power to use the water in the air." Karin explained.

"He's quite a strong child isn't he?" Toushirou smiled slightly.

"You should go see Tessai so he can heal up your wounds. See ya' tomorrow Hitsugaya-Taichou." Karin dismissed before disappearing.

"K…never mind." He whispered.

_Substitute HQ:_

_Karin's Office:_

"You know you can't stay mad at him _forever_." Someone stated.

"I know that Jinta, but I'm not ready to forgive him yet. That _really_ pissed me off. It was like…I didn't matter; he did that _twice_ in one day, _twice_. You and Kamikaze say he's got a _thing_ for me, but I don't think so. If he keeps doing this, then I think it proves that he _doesn't_." Karin spat.

"True, I'm not gonna argue with you there." Jinta sighed.

"I've got stuff to do so if…" Karin began.

"Yea Yea I'm going, I'm going. See ya' tomorrow at school." Jinta dismissed.

"Now to…wait, did I do my history homework?" Karin wondered.

* * *

><p><strong>AUTHOR'S NOTES &amp; TRANSLATIONS (AGAIN):<strong>

1) Fly, Misty Sparrow

2) He means "offensive"

3) Incantations

4) distracted

5) Silver Prison (German)

As usual, I appreciate _Everyone_ who took the time to read/review this chapter. *Bows in Appreciation* For those of you who read the original story (The Substitute Squad Captain), I _did_ change both Utada's & Yasushi's battles (Yasushi's demeanor as well). Now then**, PLEASE REVIEW**!

~sayo-chan

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	9. Not My Mother

**I DO NOT OWN BLEACH: ALL CREDIT GOES TO KUBO-SAMA FOR HIS BRILLIANCE & CHARACTERS.** I appreciate the time everyone takes to read this fanfic. Ah yes, I'm installing a new thing similar to my Author's Notes & Translations! As requested by livelovemusic95; I think it'll help everyone...I hope it does.

**AUTHOR'S NOTES & TRANSLATIONS:**

1) Spiny Petals

2) Koume is capable of healing and shielding Tamao

3) Lock, Crystal Chamber (German)

**ZANPAKUTOU NAMES (SUBSTITUTE SQUAD ONLY):**

1) Umemiya Kasumi: Burn it Black, Kagizume no Hi (Claws of Fire)

2) Fujiwara Etsuko: Kuripu, Hebi no Sasayaki (Creep, Whispering Snake)

3) Utada Hideaki: Nejiru to Mawaru, Toki no Sentou (Twist & Spin, Time Spire)

4) Ishida Yasushi: Tobu, Kasumi Kojaku (Fly, Misty Sparrow) **He just says this to sound like his other squad members**

5) Ishida Tamao: Shun Shun Rikka (Six Flowers of the Hibiscus Shield) Sprites: Akahana & Nadeshiko (offensive); Aoi & Koume (healers); Himawari, Ren, and Koume (defensive shield)

I'll post everyone's abilities as we move along (it'd give things away if I put them here).

* * *

><p><strong>The Substitute Squad Captain<strong>

_Recap:_

"_Did I pass Hitsugaya-Taichou?" Yasushi asked._

"_Y…Yes, yes you do." Toushirou choked out._

"_Yay, thank you Hitsugaya-Taichou," Yasushi exclaimed, "what did I do best?"_

"_I…I th…think it would…would be your…your Hakuda and German Spells. Y…You…You should work on your archery…archery skills though." Toushirou replied._

* * *

><p><em><span>Not My Mother:<span>_

_Railing (Night of Yasushi's Exam):_

"This is not calming at all. The moon doesn't look the same now that Kurosaki outright _hates_ me." Toushirou sighed.

"Master, she already said she does _not _hate you. She said she was still _angry_ with you, but she does not _hate_ you. Please stop hating yourself and wallowing in your misery, it is causing blizzards and snowstorms to form in here. I do not feel it _safe_ to dwell on these problems. You made a mistake and stepped upon her feelings, the most you can do at the moment is wait until she simmers down. You have done all that you could at this point." Hyourinmaru lectured.

"Ah…" Toushirou breathed.

Just as he looked up at the moon, a dark figure rushed past him. The wind was left swirling about, shaking the leaves of a nearby tree and ruffling Toushirou's hair; Toushirou stared after the figure, and his curiosity seemed to get the best of him. He chased after the figure, never getting a look at their face, never identifying them, but all the same, he continued after them, never stopping, always chasing. The figure suddenly stopped and turned toward Toushirou, but the moonlight cast a shadow over their face, still not letting Toushirou identify them. Whoever this figure was, they had long hair that floated about them, the hilt of a sword peeked out from over their shoulder, and a familiar chuckle sounded from their lips. Toushirou went to advance, but found that the figure was no longer in front of him.

"Don't chase shadows, you can't catch one." The figure whispered into their ear before dashing away.

"Who…rather, _what_ was that? It looked like a human, but humans can't fly, run that fast or…" Toushirou trailed off.

"Master, you may want to leave this matter to the morning. You still have to examine Tsumugiya-san tomorrow. I urge you to leave this matter for the morning; you _must_ get some sleep after today's examination." Hyourinmaru urged.

"Ah, I could use some after that. My wounds have yet to heal; I'll head to Haru-baa-chan." Toushirou replied.

_Next Evening:_

_Urahara Shoten:_

"Oi Toushirou, quit staring into space, you look lost or something." A voice snapped.

"Kurosaki, what I do is not of your concern. _You are_ the one who shall be examining Ishida Tamao today, not I. I have time to spare and I shall do as I please. Do _not_ meddle with my affairs, they do not concern you." Toushirou said coldly.

"You _really_ need to know how to stop hiding behind some emotional shield. When someone tries to be friendly and worries about you, you snap at them and try pushing them away. You'd make one horrible talk show host." Ichigo spat.

"How I act is how I act. Nothing I do is of your concern unless it directly involves you. Do _not_ chastise me for my ways; you are I _exactly_ the same way when people try worrying about you if I am correct. You and your sister _both_ push," Toushirou ranted, "people away when they worry about you. Do _not_ act like some sort of…"

Before Toushirou could finish his irritating rant, Ichigo rammed his fist into the teen's jaw, sending him flying through two screens; he collided with one of the candy displays, putting a nearly invisible dent (of course Urahara can see it) where he hit. Toushirou's vision blurred slightly, but he swiftly rose to his feet and charged at Ichigo, infuriated with the man's actions accompanied with his self-loathing from his recent mishaps. Seeing Toushirou charge at him, Ichigo sped towards him, ready to retaliate should Toushirou's fist reach him, but neither fist reached either man. Kisuke stood between both combatants, their wrists held securely in his hands.

"I do believe you two have _other_ things to do. Kurosaki-kun, _you_ are to be evaluating Mao-chan today; Hitsugaya-Taichou, _you_ may go elsewhere for the time being if you please, otherwise, _calm down_. I shan't allow such rowdy things to occur in my shop other than my training grounds." Kisuke lectured.

"Sorry Urahara-san, I just got pissed off." Ichigo muttered.

"I apologize as well, that was ill-mannered of me. Please excuse me." Toushirou apologized.

"It's fine, everyone gets a little angry every once in a while no? Come, Come, let's go downstairs and see if Mao-chan can fight against Kurosaki-kun." Kisuke smiled.

"Mou Urahara-san, you make me sound not strong." Mao-chan whined.

"I'm sorry Mao-chan; I didn't mean to make you sound weak. How 'bout this: I'll give you some candy, free of charge, if you pass." Kisuke bribed.

"Okay, I'll try my hardest!" She cheered.

_Basement:_

"Show 'em what you got Mao-chan!" Jinta cheered.

"Please refrain from injuring yourselves too much." Ururu pleaded.

"I'll be fine Ururu-san, don't worry." Mao-chan smiled.

"Mao-chan…Mao-chan…Mao-chan…!" A voice called.

"Kaa-chan, we're over here, over here!" She shouted.

"Ho Ishida-san, what are you doing here?" Kisuke asked.

"I'm here to cheer Mao-chan on. Sushi-kun is busy with Uryuu; they're trying to improve his archery skills." Orihime chuckled.

"Yay, I'll show you how strong I am! Come on Kurosaki-Taichou, come on!" Mao-chan chimed as she ran to the field.

"She's a cute kid Inoue, I hope she passes." Ichigo smiled.

"I hope so too. Please don't be so rough, she's only seven…that's why Karin-chan doesn't let her do much. Oh and Kurosaki-kun, I'm Ishida now." Orihime grinned.

"Ah…but that'll get really confusing to call you Ishida…plus, it…it doesn't feel the same." He admitted.

"Then Orihime's just fine." She stated.

"Great, but you'll have to call me Ichigo then." He said.

"Of course," She smiled, "now you should head over to Mao-chan before she gets too anxious."

"Got it, thanks Orihime!" He hollered as he ran off.

"I hope he doesn't compare her to you just because she uses the Shun Shun Rikka now." Kisuke mentioned.

"Ah, that would be a great mistake." Orihime responded.

"It would…her spirits aren't the same as yours. She's a _completely_ different person." Kisuke agreed.

_Battlefield:_

They wasted little time with their introductions—bowing, shaking hands, etc.—and took their stances, ready to start the fight. Taking the initiative, Ichigo kicked at the girl, testing her proficiency in Hakuda first.

"Are you going to test me in Kidou? I heard you weren't good at it." Mao-chan asked, blocking his kick.

"Uh…can you perform any spells?" Ichigo questioned.

"I can only perform Hadou 1-11 and Bakudou 1-9. It's not that I'm not good…it's just that I don't use it much." She answered.

"If you show me one of each, then you pass." He stated.

"I can do that!" She exclaimed.

He took advantage of her momentary pause to cheer as an opportunity to attack, but soon regretted that move. Tamao—Mao-chan—blocked his fist, yanked him forward, and launched her own fist into his face. She successfully broke his nose, but also sent him staggering backwards, falling onto the floor. Now sitting on the floor, Ichigo was open to more attacks and as expected, Tamao took advantage of the situation. She sent her foot crashing into his head, and launched another fist into his stomach. He found that her punches and kicks were unusually strong for someone of her size and age. He hopped to his feet and ran, hoping to put some distance between them. She chased after him, appearing here and there to try landing a few blows, but he blocked each and every single one. Knowing she was at a loss, Tamao turned to her Kidou skills, hoping to either stop or slow him down.

"Bakudou #9: Geki!" Tamao shouted.

Almost immediately, Ichigo was frozen in place, paralyzed by the spell. Tamao rushed at him, fists ready, but instead took to using a spinning kick, then kneeing him in the chest. The air was knocked out of his lungs as he fell to the ground, but that didn't stop him from rolling away from Tamao's fearsome punch. She made to slam another fist into his face, but she only met with the hard rocky terrain, plowing her fist right through it. Ichigo stared in shock and awe at her strength, barely having time to block another kick from her. He felt that she had passed in the area of Hakuda, but he had yet to see a Hadou spell and was still waiting for her to use her shields like Orihime.

"She's a little different from Orihime, but I bet deep inside, she's just like her. They've got the same eyes, the same laugh, the same happy-go-lucky personality, so she's probably Orihime's mirror image." Ichigo observed.

"Do not make such assumptions Ichigo. Assumptions are not always correct and sometimes they can either make you look like a fool or be your downfall. Do _not _assume this girl is like Orihime." Zangetsu chided.

"All right, all right I won't." Ichigo said.

He just barely dodged another fist, but that was simply a distraction; Tamao was getting bored of simply fighting with her fists and feet, she wanted to do _more_. She used her other hand to perform another Bakudou spell (Geki again) to bind Ichigo and sent a Hadou spell at him.

"Hadou #11: Tsuzuri Raiden!" She yelled.

A crackling current of lightning made its way to Ichigo's paralyzed body, thoroughly shocking the man into paralysis despite the Bakudou spell wearing off. He still stood on his feet, swaying slightly, before grabbed onto Zangetsu and charging at the girl. He swiped and stabbed at her, but she dodged all but three; he tore through her sleeve and impaled her left bicep, sliced open her thin leg, and grazed her collarbone. She jumped back, now worried about bleeding more than the bruises she had received earlier. Still reluctant to heal herself, she took to running about Ichigo, making herself appear to be a colorful blur. She suddenly jumped at Ichigo, jabbed her fingers at his neck and then dropped to the ground, kicking his feet from beneath him. He _would_ have fallen if he did not use Zangetsu as a crutch, which created a rather problematic situation for Tamao. She tried to get away, but Ichigo grabbed her right foot and threw her—not too hard—away from his body. She flew through the air before skidding to a stop—on the ground—just before the barrier protecting the spectators. She gritted her teeth and used the barrier as a takeoff pad, and zoomed towards Ichigo. As she neared, she hoisted herself up and over his shoulder; she delivered four power-packed punches to his spines, a jab to his kidney, and broke his left arm. He sent a roundhouse kick barreling into her stomach before putting distance between them. He jumped into the air, somersaulted, and crashed down upon her, trying to chop at her smaller body. His blade cut into the rocks beneath him, leaving his back open for another attack; thankfully he moved away just in time to avoid being hit. He sent four consecutive bursts of Getsuga Tenshou at Tamao—less fierce than usual—two raging across her left shoulder. She recovered from her large wounds—didn't heal them though—and raced towards Ichigo, intent on using a Hadou spell at close range, but was stopped when Ichigo raised his blade to strike. His blade slashed at her body, but he never inflicted any wound or pain: she had finally put up her shield. He backed away, remembering the strength and defensive powers of the shield, but was quickly chased after by the girl. She ran after him, their battle quickly turning into a game of tag, until she appeared before him and punched his jaw, successfully fracturing it. Even though he knew the shield was strong, he knew, from his experiences with Orihime, it was not _completely_ invincible. He struck it once with his blade and then hurled another three bursts of Getsuga Tenshou, but all four blows did _nothing_. He stood there, for the third time, in shock and awe; although he had compared her to her mother, she was _clearly_ very different.

"You look sorta…confused. Why are you confused? Is there something bothering you?" Tamao interrogated.

"Why is your shield much stronger than your mother's?" Ichigo asked.

"Oh, that's a 'cuz I don't not like fighting as much as Kaa-chan does. Kaa-chan said she always tried to help everyone…that's why she wasn't strong. I don't like fighting," She explained, "but Taichou said you _have_ to sometimes. She said if you wanna protect your friends, then you gots to fight sometimes. I like helping everybody, but I gots to fight too right?"

"So, you're not exactly like your mother at all huh? Heh, I guess I was wrong when I thought you'd be _exactly_ like your mother." Ichigo laughed.

_Spectators:_

"Hmm, it seems as if she can hold her own even though he is withholding some of his strength." Toushirou thought.

"Ah, she seems to be somewhat different from Ishida-san. Although I am not too familiar with her, I _do_ know that she focused on healing others and had a dislike for violence overall." Hyourinmaru added.

"It seems that she's also capable of performing low-level Bakudou and Hadou spells _without_ incantations. I'm guessing she can only perform a few since she's not performing all that many." Toushirou reported.

"I would have to agree but, we won't' know for certain until we ask." Hyourinmaru stated.

"Whoa…I…I think he just got Mao-chan _really_ pissed off. That doesn't even feel…or look like her. She looks so scary right now she could be Karin's clone." Jinta commented

"Where _is_ Kurosaki-chan anyways?" Kisuke asked.

"I don't know really. She could be anywhere; she left during lunch, and I mean her soul, and didn't come back. She's probably stuck in her office doing paperwork or maybe her history homework that she forgot to do." Jinta replied.

"Maybe she's training with Kamikaze to get stronger for her exam?" Ururu proposed.

"Maybe she has a secret boyfriend! Ah, I can picture them…Karin-chan's laughing as she holds onto his strong arm; they're walking down the street as the sun sets in the background. The wind is softly…!" Kisuke detailed.

"Since when did you become a poet?" Yoruichi snapped.

"I've _always_ been one! Don't tell me you didn't know!" Kisuke gasped.

"Tenshou, I think you're as much a poet as Karin…and she doesn't write poetry at all." Jinta snorted.

"You'd be surprised at what I am and what I can do." Kisuke huffed.

"I'm surprised that you're an idiot and that you can pretend to be a sexy shopkeeper." Yoruichi snickered.

"I highly doubt Kurosaki is off gallivanting with some boy; she doesn't seem like that type." Toushirou snorted.

"Oh and how do _you_ know this? Or…are you…_jealous_ maybe?" Kisuke mused.

"I'm not _jealous_ by any means. Why would I be jealous of Kurosaki gallivanting with some boy?" Toushirou quipped.

"Maybe _you_ like her and just don't wanna say." Yoruichi grinned.

"I no such feelings, your assumptions are all incorrect." Toushirou scoffed.

"Eh, but Hitsugaya-kun…you've got a sad look in your eyes. Besides, you looked _really_ angry when Urahara-san mentioned Karin-chan having a boyfriend. Are you _sure_ you don't have a crush on Karin-chan?" Orihime listed.

"I'm very certain I have _no_ such feelings. Besides, our lives are too complicated and problematic for us to have a relationship with each other. She lives here and I Soul Society, a relationship like that wouldn't allow us to see," Toushirou explained, "each other very often."

"But would you _need_ to see her?" Yoruichi probed.

"Of course, wouldn't one want to spend _time_ with their significant other?" Toushirou returned.

"So, you'd want to see Karin on a daily basis?" Jinta questioned.

"Of course, she's rather intriguing. I appreciate spending time with her anyway." He replied.

"You know you just spilled your guts there right?" Jinta snickered.

"See, I told you; you _do_ have feelings for Kurosaki-chan. Now all you have to do is tell her!" Orihime beamed.

"I did _not_ say I…" Toushirou started.

"Give it up man, I, as a guy, can see through that. You're trying to get rid of your feelings for Karin 'cuz you think you won't spend time with her. Just because _you_ think that way, doesn't mean it _is_ that way. I swear; some of you Captain's are complete idiots." Jinta demanded.

"Hanakari, whatever you _think_ you see is _obviously_…" Toushirou began.

"No no, I too see past that façade of yours. It's saddening why you won't tell her. Just because you two live in different worlds and have very hectic and dangerous lives, doesn't mean you can't have a relationship." Kisuke added.

"I agree with Tenshou." Tessai stated.

"So do I. If ya' like Karin all that much, then just go tell her." Yoruichi suggested.

"I keep telling all of you: I have no such feelings." Toushirou growled.

"What feelings are we talking about? Are you guys trying to learn about _feelings_ together? What is this, a shrink's office?" Someone interrogated.

"Oh Karin-chan, we were just…" Orihime started.

"We were just talking about how your brother pissed Mao-chan off. He must've said something 'cuz she started going crazy a few minutes ago." Jinta cut across.

"He probably compared her to Orihime. Heh, if he _did_…he might get sliced up by Tsubaki." Karin snickered.

"Oh dear…that'd be _very_ problematic." Kisuke frowned.

"Oh yea, now what were you saying Orihime?" Karin asked.

"Oh right, we were talking about how Hits…" She began.

"Kurosaki, do you know of any Arrancar that wear _completely_ black garbs?" Toushirou interrupted.

"Mou Hitsugaya-kun, I was trying to…" Orihime reprimanded.

"She was trying to tell you about his f…" Jinta continued.

"Hanakari, Ishida-san, I would appreciate if we did _not_ discuss this any further." Toushirou snapped.

"Uh…I get the feeling that I _shouldn't_ know what's going on. Anyways, what were you saying Hitsugaya-Taichou?" Karin questioned.

"I wanted to know if any Arrancar wear _completely_ black garbs." He repeated.

"No…unless they're changing the way they look. Hmm…maybe Jun got tired of the white and black thing. I think she should go with red, that's a better color." Karin rambled.

"Are you sure of this?" Toushirou asked.

"Yea, why are you asking me?" Karin questioned.

"No reason." He quipped.

"Whatever." Karin sighed.

"She knows something, but she won't say anything." Toushirou thought.

"How do you know of this Master?" Hyourinmaru inquired.

"When someone tries changing the subject even though _they_ had asked the question, Kurosaki will try to find out their reasoning. Given that she did _not_ pursue an answer means she's most," Toushirou answered, "likely hiding something. I'm _positive_ she knows something about this. Besides, Hanakari had an apprehensive look on his face when I first mentioned it."

"Hmm, you will need to do more research but, I shall agree with you for now." Hyourinmaru retorted.

"We'll most likely have to get into her office. That's most likely where she keeps special documents." Toushirou declared.

"How are you going to do that? You weren't shown her office were you?" Hyourinmaru interrogated.

"No, but it shouldn't be too hard to find. If anything, it should be the most identifiable room in their headquarters besides the dojo and kitchen." He responded.

"Master, I fear for your safety; I do not have a good feeling about this." Hyourinmaru informed.

"Whether or not it is safe, I _want_ to know. Even if I do not report it to Soul Society, I am curious as to what she's hiding." He revealed.

"Not reporting this information to the Soutaichou could hurt your reputation and put you into a problematic situation. Are you _sure_ you know what you are doing; I do _not_ wish harm upon you if not in a battle." Hyourinmaru pleaded.

"I know…but I'd rather know, than let it go unnoticed and stay hidden forever." Toushirou sighed.

"Then I shall join you in this search." Hyourinmaru said.

"Thank you Hyourinmaru." Toushirou smiled slightly.

_Ichigo V.S. Tamao:_

"Whoa, why are you so angry? All I did was say that you were like Orihime!" Ichigo shouted, dodging Tamao's punches.

"I'm _not_ my Kaa-chan! I'm _me_, not her! I'm me, _Ishida Tamao_!" Tamao roared as she landed a hit.

Ichigo went soaring through the air and slammed into a plateau, and struggled to get up. Tamao suddenly appeared behind him and landed an axe-kick to his spine, forcing him back down. She jumped away and shot two Hadou spells at him, successfully burning his right arm and shoulder. He rolled over to avoid another Hadou spell then hopped to his feet and resumed fighting. He slashed at her a few times—nearly max speed—but she dodged each and every one of them. He was absolutely _amazed_ with her speed that he stopped; she took that opportunity to slam her foot into him and summon her shield (Koume and Aoi) to heal her worst wounds. He—Ichigo—shot out from the crater he had been in, wildly slashing about only to find Tamao had moved. He glanced around the area, searching for the small girl, and unfortunately found her when she used a hammer-fist from above and sent him smashing into the ground. She was stunned to find him behind her only a few moments after impact. She sped away, trying to put distance between them, but Ichigo was close behind.

"Toge no Hanabira1 (Spiny Petals)." Tamao whispered.

Suddenly two bright orange lights split from her hairpins and zoomed towards Ichigo. Having expected Tsubaki, Ichigo stared in confusion before raising his blade to attack. As he raised his blade, one sprite flew over his head while the other sliced through his skin; a thin bloody line ran from his right cheek, across his nose and onto his left cheek. His hand wildly thrashed about, trying to swat away the sprite, momentarily diverting his attention from Tamao's incoming punch. She delivered an upper-cut to his chin then kneed his diaphragm, sending him stumbling backwards. He tried to kick Tamao, but his attention was dragged away by the two sprites wildly flying about his body, making small incisions here and there. He successfully swatted away the two sprites, but was still vulnerable to Tamao's attacks. From behind, Tamao hit him with another hammer-fist and sent him slamming into a nearby cliff.

"Yay, I really hit him hard…I think. I should make myself better now. Oh yea, I should use my German Arts like Tou-san said. I wonder if I need invitations like Nii-chan did?" Tamao thought.

"Mao-chan, I really think you should use us to heal yourself before you rush back into your exam. You're really injured." Aoi suggested.

"Yea, I was just gonna do that. Can you guys help me?" Tamao smiled.

"Of course, that's what we're here for right?" Koume grinned.

Her two healing sprites focused on healing her major injuries, knowing the minor injuries were _nothing_ in such a fight. Even if she mended her entire body, it would only get bruised, broken, and bloody once again Suddenly, Ichigo appeared before her amidst her healing. He slashed at the shield and successfully broke it, but was met with her defensive shield (Himawari, Ren, and Koume2 (Koume can be used to both shield & heal Tamao)) protecting her from every attack. She sent Nadeshiko and Akahana (offensive flowers) towards Ichigo again, but he swatted the sprites away again; little did he know Akahana and Nadeshiko were _not_ as weak as Tsubaki had been. The two sprites looped around and suddenly Nadeshiko's wings grew in size and became slightly jagged at the edges. Akahana's wings also grew in size, but sharp thorns emerged from her feet and hands; with their transformations, they would inflict more damage than before. Akahana zoomed towards his face and stopped just above his eye, then dragged her hands and feet down his face while Nadeshiko busied herself with his other eye. He used his free hand to pull away the sprites and throw them off to the side, but Tamao was right behind him, ready to strike. She delivered several punches to his spine before landing a roundhouse kick to his ribs. Ichigo was slightly dizzy from her punches and swayed just a bit, leaving Tamao questioning his stamina.

"Kurosaki-Taichou…is you okay?" She asked.

"Yea…I'm totally fine. I've still got some more fight in me, do you?" Ichigo replied.

"Yup, Taichou said: Never give up even when things look grin!" She piped.

"It's _grim_, when things look _grim_." He corrected.

"Right, when things look grin." She smiled.

"Never mind…you'll say it right eventually." He sighed.

"Okay, let's go!" She cheered.

"_Now_ I know why she was so upset when I compared her to Orihime. Her sprites are different and a _lot_ more violent; she's not afraid to attack like Orihime was. Her defensive shield is still strong and represents her mother's," Ichigo thought, "but it _feels_ different somehow. And her healing…she healed up faster than Orihime could when she used those pins. She's _way_ different than Orihime."

"Heh, that's only 'cuz you're not going hard enough on the kid." Hichigo scoffed.

"How the hell am I supposed to use my _full power_ on a _seven-year-old_? I'm not into the business of killing kids for _fun_!" Ichigo roared.

"Ichigo, ignore him for the moment; you and I _both_ know his way of thinking and attitude. It's best just to ignore him and focus on the battle." Zangetsu soothed.

Heeding his words, Ichigo refocused on the battle, narrowly missing an attack from Akahana and another from Nadeshiko. Tamao appeared before him and smeared a silvery liquid on his chest, laying out the foundation for her favorite German spell.

"Sperre, Crystal Kammer3 (Lock, Crystal Chamber-German)!" She yelled before jumping away.

The liquid bubbled and soon enough, Ichigo was locked in a crystal-like box, unable to move the slightest bit. He tried blasting and hacking away at the chamber walls with Zangetsu; he tried punching and kicking it with all his might; he even tried running at it, hoping to break it by running through; all attempts were futile. Tamao pulled her lone Scheele Schneider from her belt and sliced through the crystal too easily for something so hard to break. She made her way all the way through the chamber, severing Ichigo's right arm along the way. He tried flailing his left arm about, but it was also futile as it was broken and he was _still_ trapped in the chamber.

"Kurosaki-Taichou," Tamao smiled, "are we stopping yet? I…I getting tired."

"Sure, we…we…we can…can stop…stop here yea. Can…Can I have…have my arm back? Y…You def…definitely pa…pass." Ichigo panted.

"Yay…I…I help with your arm." She breathed.

"Oi Mao-Mao…looks like you two are all tired out huh? You should put his arm back on, but Tessai-san will just fix the rest of him up. You should head home with your mom soon." A voice instructed.

"T…Tai…Taichou…Kaa-chan…I…I pass." She grinned.

"I know I'm so proud of you Mao-chan!" Orihime exclaimed.

"S…Sh…She's one hell…of…of a str…strong kid ya' know. She's…she's nothing like you…nothing like you at all." Ichigo laughed.

"Well no duh Ichi-nii; she's not her mother, she's Mao-Mao." Karin scoffed.

"We…We…We done…your arm feel better?" Tamao asked.

"Yea…well mostly, all that matters is…is that it's back on. Thanks Mao-chan, you should go home and sleep. You look really tired." Ichigo suggested.

"Thank you Kur…Ku…Kurosaki…" Tamao trailed off.

"Oh Mao-chan…looks like she's more tired than I thought. I'll just bring her home. Goodnight everyone!" Orihime chuckled.

_Spectators:_

"Well, looks like Mao-chan passed. So far we're all passing…sort of, Umemiya could use some work and so could Utada, but that's all right. Ururu, you're up next." Jinta babbled.

"Wish me luck. Come Hitsugaya-Taichou, we should hurry up so we don't keep everyone awake all night." Ururu urged.

"Ah, I'm coming Tsumugiya-san." Toushirou murmured as he followed.

* * *

><p><strong>AUTHOR'S NOTES &amp; TRANSLATIONS (AGAIN):<strong>

1) Spiny Petals

2) Koume is capable of healing and shielding Tamao

3) Lock, Crystal Chamber (German)

As usual, I thank _Everyone_ who took the time to read/review this chapter of _The Substitute Squad Captain_. *Bows in Appreciation*

**PLEASE REVIEW!**

~sayo-chan

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	10. Fear of Flowers

**I DO NOT OWN BLEACH: ALL CREDIT GOES TO KUBO-SAMA FOR HIS BRILLIANCE & CHARACTERS.** I appreciate the time everyone takes to read this fanfic. *Bows in Appreciation*

**PLEASE REVIEW!**

**AUTHOR'S NOTES & TRANSLATIONS:**

1) Explode, Blooming Flowers

2) Rapidly Blooming Flowers of Death

3) Spearing Stems

4) Petal Pins

5) Blasting Flowers

6) She's too weak to hold her Bankai or Shikai at this point

**ZANPAKUTOU NAMES (SUBSTITUTE SQUAD ONLY):**

1) Umemiya Kasumi: Burn it Black, Kagizume no Hi (Claws of Fire)

2) Fujiwara Etsuko: Kuripu, Hebi no Sasayaki (Creep, Whispering Snake)

3) Utada Hideaki: Nejiru to Mawaru, Toki no Sentou (Twist & Spin, Time Spire)

4) Ishida Yasushi: Tobu, Kasumi Kojaku (Fly, Misty Sparrow) **He just says this to sound like his other squad members**

5) Ishida Tamao: Shun Shun Rikka (Six Flowers of the Hibiscus Shield): Sprites: Akahana & Nadeshiko (offensive); Aoi & Koume (healers); Himawari, Ren, and Koume (shield)

6) Tsumugiya Ururu: Bakuhatsu, Hana na Saku (Explode, Blooming Flowers)

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><p><strong>The Substitute Squad Captain<strong>

_Recap:_

"_T…Tai…Taichou…Kaa-chan…I…I pass." She grinned._

"_I know I'm so proud of you Mao-chan!" Orihime exclaimed._

"_Wish me luck. Come Hitsugaya-Taichou, we should hurry up so we don't keep everyone awake all night." Ururu urged._

* * *

><p><em><span>Fear of Flowers:<span>_

_Battlefield:_

"Tsumugiya Ururu, because you are considered on the same level as a Third Seat, I shall be using most of power when attacking you. Your objective shall be to render me either unconscious, or incapable of fighting you any longer. You," Toushirou detailed, "are to display your skills in Kidou, Hohou, Zanjutsu, and Hakuda; you will _not_ pass if you do _not_ display some form of each. Is everything clear?"

"Yes Sir, I shall try my hardest to defeat you." Ururu replied.

"Then let us begin." Toushirou stated.

_Spectators:_

"Oi Karin, do you think Hitsugaya has enough power to beat Ururu?" Jinta questioned.

"Good question. Ururu's pretty damn strong, but since Hitsugaya-Taichou's a _Captain_…they might take longer than everyone else. Hell, they might even take longer than you and I." Karin answered.

"Hmm, I have a feeling neither of them will walk away conscious…they'll probably pass out from blood loss. Ururu…if she goes into killer mode…he's as good as dead." Jinta thought.

"Let's hope she _doesn't_ go into killer mode. The last time she did that…she was nearly _killed_ by an Arrancar." A voice came.

"Yea, but we didn't know much about the Arrancar then. We know a _lot_ about them…ever since that mission a year ago. Anyways, I don't think Hitsugaya's gonna be able to walk or…well I think he'll be staying asleep for a few days. Just like Mao-chan…she was," Jinta detailed, "worked to the bone."

"Yea, he and Ururu will probably sleep for a few days after this. I think that's gonna happen with your exam too." The voice agreed.

"Yea probably…I wonder if Karin's gonna have to sleep. If she's still pissed with him by then…that's gonna be bad for Hitsugaya. I'm not sure…maybe she'll use Kamikaze's best attacks, but…she's pretty hesitant when it comes to those." Jinta added.

"That's because she fears her own power. She _knows_ she can control it, she's just afraid of _losing_ control." The voice pointed out.

"Yea…I remember when she lost control…that was bad. Hell…there was so much damage done to Karakura Town…when everything was put back together…she refused to pick up Kamikaze…she barely came out of her room." Jinta reminisced.

"Yea, I remember those days. Thankfully she picked him up again…she would've been lost without him." The voice sighed.

"Yea, we're gonna have to train a _lot_ if we're going up against Ichigo. We'll have to train while Hitsugaya and Ururu are out for the count. Well, if he lets us have a few days off…well, maybe _Karin's_ exam will be pushed back…but not mine. That's not cool." Jinta rambled.

"Don't worry, we'll smash and burn his ass! We are Jinta and Eesu; we don't give up until we've scored a homerun!" Eesu cheered.

"Heh, damn right," Jinta snickered, "we've got this."

_Toushirou V.S. Ururu:_

Toushirou lunged at her, sword pointed at her chest, but his attack didn't do much. Ururu quickly sidestepped his attack, his blade only skimming the edge of her Shihakushou. She moved closer to him and dealt seven blows, landing two to his chest and three to his wrist, bruising it slightly. She made to kick his jaw, but he blocked it with his left fist, now focusing more on martial arts. Their short battle of Hakuda and Zanjutsu ended when Ururu used a Bakudou spell to try immobilizing him; the spell quickly bound his hands together, but he broke free just as quickly as it had been performed. Toushirou performed two Bakudou spells trying to return the favor and was lucky enough—Ururu's really fast—to bind her arms and legs, restricting most of her movement. She fell over and tried rolling away from his four consecutive Hadou spells, but was burned on her left thigh and another on her back. The pained shot through her body and temporarily froze her, but she collected her thoughts and jumped, having sent much reiatsu to her feet. She finally broke free of the bind and took a deep breath before launching her own Hadou spell.

"Hadou #88: Hiryugekizokushintenraiho!" Ururu shouted.

Toushirou stopped, amazed by Ururu's choice of Hadou; there were many Shinigami who could perform that spell without the incantation, but they were usually Fifth Seat and above (she hasn't been a Shinigami for too long which is why he's impressed). He headed for the skies hoping to dodge the trail of lightning but unfortunately, he couldn't avoid it. The spell temporarily blurred his vision and made him tremble, but he continued to run from the black blur he assumed was Ururu. Despite his fleeing tactics, Ururu caught him off guard when she landed two punches to his jaw before jumping back and launching three more Hadou spells. His movements were still sluggish, but he felt himself quickly regaining balance and his vision began to clear, but none of that stopped the Hadou spells from hitting dead-on. He was pushed back but none of the spells did as much damage as Ururu had expected. Toushirou stood battered, bruised, with tattered, ripped, and burned robes but wasn't in the state Ururu had hoped for.

"Tsumugiya Ururu, I believe you pass in the arts of Hakuda, Kidou, and Hohou, but I advise you to draw your sword. You will _not_ be able to defend yourself against my blade if you do _not_ draw your sword." Toushirou informed as he grabbed Hyourinmaru (he sheathed it when he used the two Bakudou spells).

"Yes Sir, I shall try my hardest to defend myself." Ururu stated.

She suddenly felt a blade against her neck and a lock of white hair was _just_ brushing against her shoulder. Toushirou felt Ururu twitch slightly before he met with the wall on the opposite side of the basement. When the smoke from the impact cleared he met with Ururu's left fist. Thankfully he held up his sword in defense, but she knocked it away and drew her own sword. She tried stabbing him twice but the crater was large enough for him to move slightly. He used his Shunpo and fled from the area, completely baffled by Ururu's change in attitude.

"She's not the same…it's as if she's a whole different person. Her reiatsu seems to have changed shape and color. It had been pink before, but now…now it's…it's a dark purple, nearly black." Toushirou thought as he dodged her Hadou spell.

She suddenly appeared before him and their blades clashed; the sound of metal against metal sounding through the basement. Their blades parried and clashed until Toushirou knocked Ururu's Zanpakutou from her hands, causing it to fall to the ground below. She launched into a frenzy of punches and kicks, then smashed a reiatsu powered punch to his face, knocking him back a few meters. She used two more Hadou spells to burn his right arm—dominant arm and hand—making his hold on Hyourinmaru a little less tight (you would only notice if you had a microscope).

"Bakuhatsu, Hana na Saku1 (Explode, Blooming Flowers)." Ururu whispered.

The basement began to shake and earthquakes erupted from below, forming a sort of smokescreen for her as rocks and debris collided with each other. Once the smoke cleared Toushirou scanned the area, intent on locating Ururu but he was at a _complete_ loss; no matter how hard he tried, he could _not_ feel her reiatsu. He closed his eyes, trying to concentrate more, but what he sensed was _not_ her reiatsu, but some sort of projectile flying at him. Whatever the projectile was, it raced by Toushirou's cheek and left a bloody gash in its wake. He took refuge upon a plateau, looking about for another projectile and dodged the two that had been heading for him. Although he dodged the projectile, a third one sprung up from the ground and exploded beneath him, sending him slamming into an outcropping of rocks.

"Hitsugaya-Taichou, release your Shikai." Ururu whispered into his ear.

He whipped his blade around and slashed at her cheek before speeding away and into the sky once again. Taking refuge in the sky was and always will be the _worst_ possible choice to make when fighting Ururu: her projectiles—_missiles—_have the advantage in aerial assault. Toushirou was able to fend off against two of the four missiles heading for him, but the other two exploded on contact, shredding his Haori and destroying his left sandal. Another quickly beat into his chest, knocking the wind right out of him; he desperately tried to breathe, but to no avail. When his eyes rolled back into his head, Ururu set to kick him, but instead he grabbed her ankle and swung her about, releasing her, letting her slam into a mountainside.

"Souten ni Zase, Hyourinmaru!" Toushirou shouted as he sped towards Ururu.

As expected, he sent dragons of ice her way, successfully freezing her hand and pinning it to a rock. He moved in to attack and drove his blade into her thigh, dragging the blade all the way to her hip. Ururu's face reddened with anger and she broke through the ice _much_ faster than Toushirou had expected. She slammed her fist into his face and ran from his dazed body to regroup with her missiles hovering around her in a defensive formation. He dashed after her but backpedaled when he saw four missiles heading his way. He performed an unbelievable (to the spectators) feat: he made a sharp turn, whipped Hyourinmaru around and froze two missiles before zooming towards Ururu slicing through her side. He circled around and plunged his blade into her arm, then pulled out and slashed two more times on her back before sprinting to the safety of a plateau. Ururu stood there panting and wheezing, bloodied and battered, before she lifted her head, and signaled for her missiles to return to her side.

"Ba…B…Bankai… Kyusoko ni Shi no Hana2 (Rapidly Blooming Flowers of Death)." Ururu breathed.

Her missiles aligned upon her shoulder, forming a straight line before glowing and temporarily blinding all. When the light died down, Toushirou stared at Ururu's new weapon—mini bazooka—and felt that she was _much_ more dangerous than before.

"That's _impossible_! She should _not_ have attained Bankai yet; she may be a Third Seat, but she has only been a Shinigami for…for five years I'm assuming. It takes even the _best_ Captains _years_ before they attain Bankai. This…This is…is not only _impressive_ but," Toushirou marveled, "_completely_ unexpected!"

"I agree Master but, I would assume that she, Hanakari, and Kurosaki have _all_ gone through rigorous training from Urahara and Shihouin-san." Hyourinmaru pointed out.

"Even so, this is nearly unheard of. If _Kurosaki_ were to attain Bankai in a matter of five years, then I wouldn't be _as_ impressed give her family's history but…this is _completely_ unexpected. I understand that she has an impressive amount of reiatsu and is highly skilled in Hohou, Kidou, and Hakuda, but this is _very_ rare." Toushirou explained.

"But _is_ it so strange? Tsumugiya-san and Hanakari have been living with Urahara and Shihouin-san for many years, not to mention their constant contact with Shinigami and the Kurosaki family. Given these factors, is it _not_ probable that she would have attained Bankai? Kurosaki Ichigo was able to attain Bankai in a matter of _days_ as opposed to others who have had to go through _years_ of training before obtaining such an honor." Hyourinmaru argued.

"Yes, but Kurosaki Ichigo is…is a _variable_ or _anomaly_ as Kurotsuchi has referred to him. I wouldn't be surprised if Kurosaki has followed in her brother's footsteps, but Tsumugiya-san is another issue. I shall have to ask her _how_ and _when_ she was able to attain Bankai." Toushirou elaborated.

"Do what you must to obtain this information; I believe it would be beneficial to report this matter to the Soutaichou after this exam…or when your wounds heal." Hyourinmaru suggested.

"Ah, I have planned on doing so." Toushirou replied.

"I also advise you to fight her at your full power. With her sudden change, I believe fighting on the same level would be for the best." Hyourinmaru advised.

"Fuki yo aide3 (Spearing Stems)." Ururu said.

Long green stems adorned with thorns shout out from the mini bazooka and flew towards Toushirou. They headed for him at an incredible speed, some twirling as they advanced, but didn't reach him; he quickly avoided them by heading southwards.

"Bankai, Daiguren Hyourinmaru!" He shouted.

Having _mastered_ his Bankai two years prior, his form had changed from when Karin _last_ saw him. His wings looked more dragon-like; his icy claws covered _both_ hands like gauntlets; his tail now had spines at the ends and the icy flowers were no longer behind him.

_Spectators:_

"Ho, it looks like Hitsugaya-Taichou was able to complete his training huh?" Kisuke questioned.

"Huh, he was _training_ to completely master his Bankai? Didn't look like it when I was there four years ago." Karin commented.

"He only mastered it two years ago. You haven't seen him in two years; during the time you were stationed _here_ he trained to completely master his Bankai. Very few people have seen it so he must _really_ have noticed he was in danger." Kisuke explained.

"Heh, maybe they _will_ leave the battlefield unconscious and bloody after all." Jinta stated.

"Hmm, I think they'll end at a stalemate. Ururu's good, but she's calmed down from earlier. She's no longer in killer mode, but she's not completely relaxed. Plus Hitsugaya's new form is supposed to be pretty amazing as I've heard from Soi Fon." Yoruichi input.

"I'm gonna go with Jinta's guess. They'll end up at a stalemate, but they'll be unconscious." Karin sighed.

"Wonder if she's gonna pin him to a wall and totally destroy him like she did that one time that Arrancar tried attacking Mao for no reason." Jinta grinned.

"I'd _hate_ to see that. I actually felt _bad_ for that Arrancar even though he went after Mao-Mao." Karin admitted.

"Really, I thought it was pretty cool." Jinta muttered.

"It was, but it was pretty scary at the same time. Well, I've gotta go do some _paperwork_ 'cuz Ossu-san said I need to turn in some forms and two mission statements." Karin announced.

"Yea…you go do that." Jinta mumbled.

"Who the hell do you think was _supposed_ to do it? I may be occupied with Kendo, soccer, archery, and having fun, but I _still_ make time for my freaking paperwork! Where the hell are _you_ when I need you to give a mission statement!" Karin raged.

"Um…nowhere?" Jinta whimpered.

"You're lucky I haven't sliced you to ribbons." She growled before stalking off.

"Karin's really scary when she's angry." Jinta thought.

"No kidding, but we already knew that didn't we?" Eesu asked.

"Yea, but when it comes to her paperwork…she's even _more_ scary." Jinta replied.

"I'm with you on that one Spitfire." Eesu agreed.

_Toushirou V.S. Ururu:_

Ururu fired more spears in his direction and made three direct hits, but was shocked to find it was simply a _clone_. The clone shattered into ice and left her staring in awe.

"Watch where you're pointing your weapon, you could hit a _clone_." Toushirou whispered.

He slashed at her back, trailing the blade from her neck bone to her calf before smacking her away with his spiny tail. The tail hit her so hard she nearly crashed into a wall, but thankfully she was fast enough to avoid the wall. She sped towards Toushirou once more and happily broke his jaw with the one end of her bazooka before shooting more green spears after his fleeing figure. He was successful in avoiding all but one spear; the spear bit into his side and drilled through, the thorns tearing apart his flesh. He doubled over in extreme pain—the thorns _drilled_ through his flesh—allowing Ururu to launch her next attack.

"Hanabira Pin4 (Petal Pins), to the cliff twenty meters away!" Ururu commanded.

Razor-sharp rose petals followed after Toushirou and after catching up to him, drove into his limbs—legs and arms—and pinned him to the cliff twenty meters away as Ururu had commanded. He struggled against the petals, but found the more he struggled, the more energy he lost.

"These…these petals are depleting my reiatsu and injecting poison as they do so. I would say she has passed despite her rather strange weapon on her shoulder, but I would like to see if she can handle a _Captain_ at their full power." Toushirou thought.

"Are you going to call for a limit release then?" Hyourinmaru questioned.

"I'll have to if I want to see her absolute strength. She is worthy of Third Seat as I said, but I want to see if she is as powerful as Urahara once said." Toushirou answered.

"Master, I have a feeling that neither of you will walk away from this battle without nearly passing out due to blood loss. She is already struggling to see and move while you are nearly at your limit even _without_ a release. Are you sure you want to push both of your strengths?" Hyourinmaru warned.

"Ah, it shall be good for both of us." Toushirou replied.

"Twelfth Squad, it is Hitsugaya-Taichou requesting a limit release for Tsumugiya Ururu's exam." Toushirou requested into an earpiece.

"We apologize for such an inconvenience but, we are to only allow eighty percent of your strength for the exams no matter who the Shinigami is." Rin apologized.

"That is all I am asking for. I am aware of the limits we _can_ and _cannot_ pass. I am asking for an eighty percent limit release." Toushirou stated.

"Yes Sir, I shall begin working on that right now." Rin squeaked.

Nearly three minutes after his request, his reiatsu surged to eighty percent and he easily broke free of the petals' hold. He sped towards Ururu—faster than she could track—and slashed at her body, but was easily thrown off by Ururu's bazooka. He kicked at her and sent her slamming into the ground, but that didn't stop her from attacking; she fired several green spears in his direction, two of which hit his wings, piercing and breaking through the ice. She collided with the ground and broke her leg and dislocated her shoulder, barring her from moving fast enough to avoid another attack. Toushirou sent a flock of icicles down to her, each piercing her body in retaliation. Despite her current state of being, she stood and readied for another attack.

"Ha…Ha…Hana wo…wo…wo Blasto5 (Blasting Flowers)." She panted.

Large roses erupted from her bazooka and exploded upon contact when they reached Toushirou. He tried to maneuver out of the way, but was caught off guard when Ururu hit him with her bazooka again. She tried sprinting away, but her body was no longer willing to comply with her demands. Seeing this, Toushirou smacked her with his tail once more, forcing her back onto the ground. She lay there with her bones broken, blood seeping from her many wounds, bruises on nearly every patch of skin, blurry vision and ringing ears, just barely able to make out the outline of Toushirou. He figured she was losing blood faster than he was and was out of commission; he hovered over her before settling dizzily next to her. He bent over to signal she had passed, but fell forward when her blade6 (She's too weak to hold her Shikai or Bankai at this point) pierced through his abdomen, jutting out the back of his body. Although she was barely breathing, she was still determined to defeat him in any way she could. His breath hitched and he coughed up more blood than he had when Yasushi had used his Sprenger. She tore her blade from his body, leaving a gaping hole in its wake. He was now in the same state she was: barely breathing and close to death. He fell on top of her, unconscious and losing blood faster than water seeps through fingers.

_Spectators:_  
>"Holy Shit, Ururu's…Ururu…Ururu!" Jinta screamed as he ran towards her.<p>

"Oh dear, it looks like he was right after all. My my, I am amazed that she was able to nearly _kill_ Hitsugaya-Taichou despite him using _eighty_ percent of his reiatsu." Kisuke commented.

"Whoa…I didn't think she'd take him out. I know she's strong, but I didn't think she was _that_ strong." Ichigo marveled.

"K…Kurosaki-kun, you're still here?" Kisuke asked.

"Of _course_ I'm still here! I've been here since Mao put me back together; didn't you notice I was standing here? I thought," He raged, "everyone was capable of finding me since my reiatsu leaks everywhere even _with_ a limit!"

"Well um…um…Ururu's more important at the moment. Let's go see…" Kisuke trailed off.

A figure came into view, a figure with red hair and a person in his arms. Jinta walked towards them with Ururu in his arms. Ururu, the girl he considered a _sister_ was laying in his arms, lying in his arms covered in blood and bruises. He stopped, shaking with anger and worry; his reiatsu was raging and fire seemed to burn in his eyes. He could care less about Toushirou at the moment; all he wanted was to get Ururu to safety and away from that _monster_.

"Tessai-san, please, _please_ fix her up. I don't care when you fix _him_ up, but please, take care of her _first_. I'll go get him, but only because Karin would be pissed if I left him there to die." Jinta pleaded.

"Yes, I shall take care of her first; she looks to be in a _much_ worse state than Hitsugaya-Taichou." Tessai agreed.

"Oi Jinta, I've got Toushi covered so go somewhere you won't try killing him! That's an order as your Captain…and a suggestion from your best friend!" A voice sounded.

"Do you what you want with him…I don't even want to _look_ at him." Jinta snarled as he followed Tessai.

"Kurosaki-chan, how long have you been here?" Kisuke asked.

"A while, I lied about the paperwork. I just wanted a different angle to see the battle. Ururu's skills were dead-on so I'm gues…no, I _know_ she passed." Karin answered.

"Eh, why would you want a different angle? You can see just fine from here." Ichigo questioned.

"Because, it's better to watch your opponent in _silence_ so you know _exactly_ how they fight. With you guys talking every few minutes I couldn't concentrate enough to get enough information. I'll go get Toushi before he dies over there; I don't want Ossu-san yelling at me for letting Ururu kill him." Karin explained.

"She just doesn't want to get yelled at?" Kisuke and Ichigo thought.

_Upstairs:_

"Jinta, you calmed down now?" Karin asked.

"Yea, I'm cool now. Eesu told me to relax; Ururu's not dead and Hitsugaya was just trying to see how powerful she was." He sighed.

"So, you're _not_ going to try kicking his ass right?" She questioned.

"I didn't say that. I'm not going to attack him head-on, but I _am_ going to pull a _Jinta-Specialty_." He smirked.

"Don't go _too_ hard. I…I…I'd still like him ar…ar…around you know." Karin mumbled.

"What was that, I didn't hear you?" He snickered.

"I…I said…I said I'd still…still like him around." She mumbled again.

"Karin, if you keep _mumbling_ I won't hear what you're saying." He stated.

"I said I'd still like him around!" Karin shouted.

"Heh, you admitted it." He grinned.

"I didn't admit anything. I just said I'd like him around, not that I _like_ him." Karin scoffed.

"Same thing, people like staying around the people they _like_. You, Kurosaki Karin, just sorta admitted that you like…" He rambled.

She promptly choked and knocked him out, then proceeded to drag Ichigo home.

"Don't worry, he should wake up…by tomorrow at the latest." Karin smiled.

"Oh Kurosaki-chan, don't forget this." Kisuke called.

"Huh what is it?" Karin questioned.

"It's that…um…_item _you asked for." He coughed.

"Oh yea, thanks Urahara. Ichi-nii, let's head home." Karin said.

_Kurosaki Residence:_

"Oi Karin, what's that thing Urahara gave you?" Ichigo asked.

"Nothing, it's just an upgrade." She replied.

"An upgrade…what upgrade?" He questioned.

"It's nothing Ichi-nii." She dismissed before heading upstairs.

"She's _definitely_ hiding something, and Urahara's in on it." Ichigo thought.

"Then it is a _must_ to find out what she's hiding." Zangetsu stated.

_Karin's Room:_

"Heh, looks like both Ichi-nii and Toushirou are suspicious. That's fine, they won't find what they're looking anywhere…well, anywhere _they_ can get to." Karin thought.

"You ever gonna _dig up those bodies in the backyard_?" Kamikaze asked.

"Maybe…but not now…nothing's definite at this point. Although, now that Urahara gave me _this_, I might be able to get some info. Ronald might be able to," Karin replied, "use this to send me some insider info…I _hope_ he can."

"You know you're in a _very_ dangerous situation right? I know I can't _stop_ you from doing this but…I'm just saying this is pretty risky." Kamikaze warned.

"Yea I know, but I've got a job to do. I don't leave things _unfinished_; you of all people should know that. Come on, I'm tired and I need some sleep if I'm going to school tomorrow." Karin explained.

"Just don't get yourself _killed_ Karin." He mumbled.

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><p><strong>AUTHOR'S NOTES &amp; TRANSLATIONS (AGAIN):<strong>

1) Explode, Blooming Flowers

2) Rapidly Blooming Flowers of Death

3) Spearing Stems

4) Petal Pins

5) Blasting Flowers

6) She's too weak to hold her Bankai or Shikai at this point

As usual, I thank _Everyone_ who took the time to read/review this chapter of _The Substitute Squad Captain_. *Bows in Appreciation*

**PLEASE REVIEW!**

~sayo-chan

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	11. Assassination

**I DO NOT OWN BLEACH: ALL CREDIT GOES TO KUBO-SAMA FOR HIS BRILLIANCE & CHARACTERS.** All right, now down to explanations: Yes, I do sincerely apologize to those who I had told I would have this chapter & others up sooner than now but, the revisions took quite a while not to mention school started & I had other things to deal with (my life does _not_ revolve around here). So: I sincerely apologize for my lateness! *Vigorously Bows in Apology* Now then, I appreciate the time everyone takes to read this fanfiction. *Bows in Appreciation*

**PLEASE REVIEW!**

**AUTHOR'S NOTES & TRANSLATIONS:**

There are quite a few translations, but most are names of weapons, not phrases or random words-please excuse the intense amount (I only want everyone to know what they mean). *Vigorously Bows in Apology*

1) Ravage, Divine Winds

2) A weapon based fighting game developed by _Project Soul©_ and produced by _Namco©_

3) Cremate, burning coffins

4) Hailing Hurricane

5) Burn it Black, Claws of Fire

6) Twist and Spin, Time Spire!

7) Deteriorate, Acid Rain

8) Thundercloud

9) Speed Up, Ace

10) Cry, dying flamingo

**ZANPAKUTOU NAMES (SUBSTITUTE SQUAD ONLY):**

1) Umemiya Kasumi: Sore wa kuro ban, Kagizume no Hi (Burn it Black, Claws of Fire)

2) Fujiwara Etsuko: Kuripu, Hebi no Sasayaki (Creep, Whispering Snake)

3) Utada Hideaki: Nejiru to Mawaru, Toki no Sentou (Twist & Spin, Time Spire)

4) Hanakari Jinta: Kozoku ka, Eesu (Speed Up, Ace)

5) Kurosaki Karin: Kohai sa seru, Kamikaze (Ravage, Divine Winds)

**BIG CHANGE: I put a few swear words, mostly the f-bomb, to show the intense anger & hatred within the characters; I've upped the rating to M just for safety (I don't know if some 13-yr-olds have as dirty a mouth as my brother so, it's for the best).**

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><p><strong>The Substitute Squad Captain<strong>

_Recap:_

"_A while, I lied about the paperwork. I just wanted a different angle to see the battle. Ururu's skills were dead-on so I'm guess…no, I know she passed." Karin answered._

"_She's definitely hiding something, and Urahara's in on it." Ichigo thought._

"_Then it is a must to find out what she's hiding." Zangetsu stated._

"_Maybe…but not now…nothing's definite at this point. Although, now that Urahara gave me this, I might be able to get some info. Ronald might be able to," Karin replied, "use this to send me some insider info…I hope he can."_

"_Just don't get yourself killed Karin." He mumbled._

* * *

><p><em><span>Assassination:<span>_

_Karakura High:_

"Well, looks like Toushirou and Ururu are gonna be out for a while. You probably won't take your exam for a few days either." Karin commented.

"Yea, I'm just hoping I pass. I won't have much time to practice because I've got baseball practice all week and we both have to go to Yuzu's track meet this weekend." Jinta replied.

"Yea, I'll drag Ichi-nii along if she didn't tell him already. If you don't pass, you won't be able to see Yuzu for a while you know that." Karin mentioned.

"Yea I know. That's fine though, I'll come back quicker than I left. Besides, I'll be leaving my gigai won't I? The only things I'll _really_ miss are baseball, technology—do they have indoor plumbing?" Jinta listed.

"I—I don't know and now you're giving me _extreme_ panic. Oh my god, now I don't wanna go back there." Karin gasped.

"Sorry, I know you like visiting Snow White and your other friends up there." He snickered.

"I'm still debating on if I should wait for an apology, or go apologize right when he wakes up." She sighed.

"Just apologize, it'll be easier. Plus, you're not _really_ that angry are you? We _both_ know you like him; he fits your type. He's smart, athletic, sensible, and can handle that Kurosaki temper of yours." Jinta groaned.

"All right, I'll do it. Come on, the bell just rang." Karin grumbled.

_Urahara Shoten:_

"Yo Urahara, are those two still sleeping?" Karin called.

"Yes, unfortunately they're both still bedridden. Hitsugaya-Taichou has woken up twice, but he's in no state to do anything." Kisuke reported.

"All right, well just leave this beside him. I might not be right there when he gets up so just leave it there. It's an apology note; I'm not gonna sit and wait around for one because—well—whatever it's just not me. See ya' later Urahara." Karin requested.

"Oh wait, I forgot to give this to your brother this morning. Here, please hand it to him when you see him." Kisuke mentioned.

"Sure thing, tell Tessai-san Yuzu found an amazing recipe and she'll be by later to give it to him. She doesn't want me knowing her 'cooking secrets' because they're 'super precious'." Karin added.

_Kurosaki Residence:_

"Hey Ichi-nii, here's something from Urahara. He forgot to give it to you this morning." Karin greeted as she walked through the door.

"Oh Karin, don't you have soccer practice or something?" Ichigo asked.

"Nope not today, since two members are sick with who knows what and Coach had to go to a wedding. We'd practice but, four girls had cleanup duty, another needed to go grocery shopping, two were too tired, and I think one had a date later tonight." Karin listed.

"Oh, I guess that's a good reason. Don't you do anything _else_ besides soccer?" He questioned.

"Yea, I slay Hollows and Arrancar. I help with Yuzu's track team, like setting things up, but today they didn't need me so I'm here. If that's all, I've gotta go do some homework. Oh, Ochi-Sensei says hi." Karin dismissed.

"Oh all right then." Ichigo mumbled.

_Room:_

"I'm so tired, but I have no reason to be." Karin yawned.

"You barely sleep Karin; you _do_ have a reason to be tired. It's amazing you haven't collapsed yet." Kamikaze spat.

"Oh please, you_ know_ why I don't sleep. If _you_ had these nightmares I doubt _you'd_ sleep either. Anyways, I need to do some homework and _maybe_ I'll be able to take a nap." Karin snapped.

"Whatever." Kamikaze grunted.

_Midnight:_

_Urahara Shoten:_

"Ah Hitsugaya-Taichou, you really shouldn't be up and about. Your injuries still need some time to heal." Kisuke huffed.

"I'm fine Urahara, I've had worse. I'm sure even _you_ would be able to walk in my state. I'm fine; I'll be going to find Kurosaki." Toushirou snorted.

"You should check headquarters then, she's usually there." Kisuke suggested.

_Substitute HQ:_

"So Jun's already ready to fight, she's just training everyone harder. It's getting harder to get in and Pierre's pretty scared. He's doing a good job at keeping his cool but, he said he can feel Jun watching him. Oh, and you should know something." A voice informed.

"What?" Another voice asked.

"She's made some sort of _new_ virus. I don't know what it is or what it does _but_, Pierre said he gets a bad, a _really_ bad feeling when he walks by Szayel's lab. He looked _really_ pale when he told me. Everything's on that device, all you have to do is analyze it. Oh and Karin, if you infiltrate the place again, be careful. I know you know Jun, I know _you_ know her best, but you don't know her _Guardias_." The voice said.

"I know Ron, I know. I know their names and weapons, but yea, I don't know _them_. I don't think Jinta and I will infiltrate Hueco Mundo again, but if I need to, I'll ask if Nel and Grimmjow can help me out. How's Petri's leg doing?" Karin replied.

"He's fine," Ron chuckled, "his leg healed up four days after you guys left. All right, I think it might be time for me to go. I don't think those two Captains would be happy to see an Arrancar having _tea_ with you like it's normal. I know Urahara and your boss man ordered this but, your bro and that other guy don't know about it do they?"

"Nope, I told you before; it's a top secret mission. Barely anyone knows about it. None of the Captains know, my squad members don't know, nobody really. Only you, me, Jii-Jii, _The Resistance_, and everyone at the Urahara Shoten know." Karin listed.

"All right, then I should get go—" Ron sighed as he stood.

"Kurosaki, how the fuck can you _betray_ the Gotei Jyuusan? Even when your _brother_ is a _Captain_, you have the _gall_ to betray him." A voice growled.

"Huh Tou—" Karin started.

"That's Hitsugaya-Taichou to _you_ Kurosaki Karin! How dare you betray everyone you know?" Toushirou shouted.

"I think it's time for me to go." Ron sang.

"Not before I kill you." Toushirou snapped.

He lunged at the Arrancar, but Ron simply grabbed him by the throat and threw him into the wall. Toushirou quickly recovered and brought Hyourinmaru down upon him, but Ron sidestepped and Toushirou met with the floor. Ron lifted his leg and kicked Toushirou through the wall, Toushirou ending up in the hallway. Ron was about to move, when Karin signaled for him to stop. He frowned a bit before sighing and leaving via a Gargantua.

"If he does something to me next time, I'll hit him." Ron grinned before the Gargantua closed.

"Why must my life be so complicated?" Karin sighed.

"Your life will be even _more_ complicated once I report this to Yamamoto-Soutaichou." Toushirou snarled.

"All right then, just come back when you feel like it." Karin said with a shrug.

He watched in shock and awe as she walked past him and headed for her office. He would have run after her and yell, but he thought better of it; the one thing he _needed_ to do was report to Yamamoto-Soutaichou. He sprinted over to Grandma Haru's home, giving her a short greeting before heading to his room and giving a very abrupt report.

_Grandma Haru's House:_

"Tou-chan, you look angry. Did something happen?" Grandma Haru asked.

"A very good friend I once trusted just betrayed all who had trusted _her_. Apparently she's in league with the enemy; she's become a traitor just like _Aizen_." He replied, before walking down the hall.

"Hmm, I know this can only be Karin-chan but, I doubt she's _betrayed_ everyone." Grandma Haru thought.

_Toushirou's Room:_

"Hitsugaya-Taichou, may I ask why you are contacting me so late?" Yamamoto asked.

"I have just found out that Kurosaki Karin is in league with the Arrancar. I caught her having _tea_ with one in her headquarters. I'm unsure of what they were discussing as I had arrived there late, but—" Toushirou reported.

"Hitsugaya-Taichou, neither you nor the other Captains were aware of this but, you have just _compromised_ Kurosaki Karin's mission. She is currently retrieving information on the leader of _The Rebellion_, Jun Kii Ban. She is _not_ in league with the enemy. She is in league with _The Resistance_, _not_ _The Rebellion_." Yamamoto divulged.

"What? Why would she—why would she put herself up for this kind of mission? Aren't these types of affairs left for the Onmitsukudo?" Toushirou interrogated.

"Yes," Yamamoto explained, "but the Onmitsukudo are only for operations _inside_ of Soul Society. They are not _trained_ to handle affairs _outside_ of Soul Society. You, Hitsugaya-Taichou, have just made her mission all the more complicated. Her contact, Ronald Wiesenhower, may be slightly suspicious and hostile now that you know. He owes a great deal to Kurosaki Karin and by you intruding on their meeting, might have put a strain on his trust. Only I, Kurosaki Karin, and all members of the Urahara Shoten were aware of this mission. I am not sure of what may or may not happen now that you have compromised this mission, but I hope it does not completely _halt_ everything. I understand you may have thought she was betraying Soul Society, but you have caused a great deal of stress and trouble for her. Stress and trouble are _not_ something she needs when she does so much for us. She, like her brother, is a valuable asset. In a previous mission, she found that Jun Kii Ban has thirteen guards designed to fight all Captains. She was also the one to find out what Jun Kii Ban planned on doing. Even more so, she _understands_ Jun Kii Ban on levels _beyond_ our capabilities. You Hitsugaya-Taichou may have just made some of her hard effort go to waste."

"T—I—I apologize, I was completely unaware of this. What am I to do now that I know all of this?" He asked, slightly embarrassed.

"You are not to tell a _soul_ about this operation or the others I have just briefed you about. I also advise that you do whatever you must to _fix_ this operation." Yamamoto answered.

"Yes Sir, I shall do that right away." Toushirou stated.

"Hitsugaya-Taichou, do _not_, in any way, _compromise_ this mission again. If that happens, I may just have to remove you from the World of the Living and bar you from going until this operation is over." Yamamoto added.

"Yes Sir." He replied before the television went black.

"God dammit, I'm so fucked there's no way of—I make more mistakes with _her_ than I did with _Momo_. I'm an idiot! Why—I—why does she complicate my life? I'm _constantly_ making mistakes around her; I say harsh words, I can't express my feelings, I've been suspicious of her, and I even compared her to _Aizen_. She's forgiven me _many_ times, but I think—I'm so fucked." Toushirou raved.

"Then I believe you should hurry and apologize. She may be forgiving, but your words, even though you were unaware of her mission, must have stung now that you know what her intentions were. She must know that Yamamoto-Soutaichou has informed you of her mission, and now that you know, those words must have hurt even more." Hyourinmaru lectured.

_Substitute HQ:_

_Karin's Office:_

"Well, I'm sure Jii-Jii's briefing him right now. He'll probably yell at me later too. Whatever, maybe Toushirou's gonna be pulled back. Nope, he's heading over here. I don't know if he just wants an explanation or wants to apologize. Whatever, I still have some more filing to do." Karin rambled.

"Well, at least you're not being too hard on him. I thought you were gonna be a total bitch and shut him out." Kamikaze remarked.

"No way, that's for those morons at school. Besides, he didn't really know about the mission. Plus, I think Ron found it _funny_ that Toushirou walked in on us. He had that weird grin on his face. Wow," Karin replied, "if we win against Jun and her minions, I can see Ron challenging him all the time."

"Good to know you enjoy seeing him and Ron fighting in the future. Well, I'm off. I'm not needed to help with filing so see ya'." Kamikaze dismissed.

"Kurosaki I—" Toushirou began.

"I know Toushi, I know. You didn't know about the mission. Just don't say anything and pretend you never saw us. Besides, I think Ron found you amusing. He had a grin on his face when he put you through the wall." Karin cut across.

"Thank you Kurosaki. I—I didn't mean to compromise your mission. I—" He stuttered.

"Oh shut up Toushi. Too many apologies in one day makes my head hurt. Toushi—Hey what—what the hell are you staring at? Is the wall back there interesting?" Karin joked.

"No, I was just lost in thought for a moment. Ah, I wanted to know, I didn't really want to—" He began.

"Toushi move!" Karin shouted before jumping back.

The roof caved in, a mixture of dust and debris clouded the air and their lungs. Knowing the area was no longer safe, they both exited her office and took refuge a little ways away.

"What do you think that—?" Toushirou began.

"That was me. I'm sorry to interrupt your little quiet chat but, I too have missions I must complete hmm. I take it you are Kurosaki Karin hmm? Well, I have been told to—" Their attacker mused.

"I know what you were sent to do. Jun's like that; she likes having _others_ bring her enemies to their knees before she goes in and strikes the last blow." Karin interrupted.

"She did say she hated you with a burning passion hmm. I now know why hmm." The Arrancar smiled.

"Of c—Toushi, leave me with him. There are three other—get Ichi-nii and Jinta right now. He's not the _only_ one running around here." Karin ordered.

"Kurosaki, keep your eyes and blade sharp." Toushirou stated before disappearing.

"Now then, it's just us two hmm?" The Arrancar grinned.

"Kurosaki Karin, Captain of the Substitute Squad." Karin introduced.

"Vladimir Chekov, a _Knight_ if you please hmm." Vladimir smiled.

"Do you _ever_ stop smiling and saying 'hmm'?" Karin spat.

"I don't know what you're talking about, hmm." He chuckled.

"Kohai sa seru, Kamikaze 1(Ravage, Divine Winds)!" Karin shouted.

She held the blade horizontally and suddenly, the blade split in half. She now wielded two bladed tonfas. One blade jutted out from the bottom and another, longer blade curved upwards, just above the handle (Karin's tonfas are similar to Talim's tonfas from _Soul Caliber _2[see notes for details] with a slightly different design).

"Incinerar, la quema de ataúdes 3(Cremate, burning coffins)." Vladimir smiled.

"I'm going to slice that damned smile right off your face." Karin snarled.

"See if you can. My flames shall _cremate_ you before you get that chance hmm. Besides, _air_ is fire's favorite _food_ hmm." Vladimir mused.

"Not if it can't _feel_ the wind." Karin whispered next to his ear.

"Everyone can—" Vladimir started.

Karin burst forward, faster than Vladimir expected and left a large gash on his left shoulder. She swerved around to deal another blow, but he quickly parried, now knowing she wasn't one to be underestimated. They broke apart and dashed at each other again, parrying and exchanging blows until Vladimir kicked at Karin's ankle. She temporarily lost her balance and allowed Vladimir to stab her forearm, but she threw her tonfa at him—with her free hand that is—and it stuck fast into his shoulder. He pulled his blade away, stumbling slightly, before ripping the weapon from its place. When he looked back, Karin was nowhere in sight; he suddenly felt a presence behind him and swung his blade around, trying to decapitate Karin. She ducked down and punched her fist as hard as she could into his shin; her fist made contact and the bone let out a loud crack, she had made his job all the more harder.

"So, you have broken my leg hmm. Well, I have your weapon, so that makes us even hmm." Vladimir smiled.

"No, _you_ don't have my tonfa, _I_ do." Karin smirked.

"I—I—Impossible, when did you—?" Vladimir stuttered.

"Heh, I've got my ways. I have too many secrets and that's one I'm _not_ willing to give up." Karin snickered.

"Then let us continue hmm? I _will_ find out all of your abilities by the end of our little duel hmm? And then," Vladimir smiled, "you shall have lived your life and I shall cremate you hmm."

"You _really_ need to stop smiling." Karin whispered into his ear.

He made to turn, but Karin was _much_ faster than he expected. She ducked under his arm and swung her tonfa upward, slicing open his entire forearm. She elbowed him in the stomach and used an axe-kick to send him plummeting into the ground. She followed after him, and prepared to stab him, but was greeted with a burst of flames. She dodged, but not quickly enough; her right sleeve was burned and her fingers twitched in pain. Her sandals were nearly falling apart and the ends of her hair were badly singed. Vladimir shot up from the ground and landed an uppercut to Karin's chin, followed by another blow to her chest. He swung his blade down onto her shoulder, but she was no longer where she had once been. In the distance, he saw her zipping off farther into Karakura Town, looking to get away. He chased after her, stopping her near a bridge.

"Ho, so you've decided to come and fight hmm. Well, then let's—" Vladimir started.

"Hariken umi Rei 4(Hailing Hurricane)." Karin whispered.

Water rose from the river below as deadly winds swirled about. The two met and a hurricane brewed from the contact. Cool air billowed around the hurricane, large chunks of hail peeking out from the hurricane. Karin closed her eyes and hurled her tonfas at Vladimir. He knocked them away easily, but that did _not_ stop the hurricane and its fierce winds from coming at him. He tried avoiding it but it was no use; his flames weren't able to stop it and the water beneath only helped fuel its power. Amidst his fit of rage as he tried to evaporate the water from the hurricane, Karin appeared behind him and jabbed her fingers into his kidneys. He arched his back and Karin grabbed his shoulder, flinging him over hers. She ran towards him and delivered a spinning kick to his head, before kicking him down into the ferocious hurricane. She heard his yelling as the winds tore into his body and the chunks of hail pelted his body, but she was stunned to see that he was alive. His flames burst from his sword and soon the entire weapon changed; it was no longer a lone blade. The hilt and blade liquefied, a searing hot blackness formed and took shape of two Sai; the blades were black like volcanic ash and fire covered the longer of the blades. He appeared behind her and dragged his Sai down her back; all three blades pierced through and slowly burned her skin as the Sai trailed down.

_Toushirou:_

"Master, why do you think there is an invasion now? Even if you caused complications for Kurosaki-san's missions, surely they wouldn't send others to go kill her and her squad members." Hyourinmaru prompted.

"If I'm correct, I think this is the work of Jun Kii Ban but Kurosaki wasn't prepared. She said she understood what was happening right now, but I don't think she knows _why_." Toushirou responded.

"Hmm, whatever the reason may be, I think it's better if we follow orders prior to concocting some sort of hypothesis." Hyourinmaru input.

"Agreed." Toushirou replied.

Toushirou burst through the doors of the Urahara Shoten, awaking everyone within and hurriedly dragging Jinta through the doors and off into the night. Toushirou briefed the redhead on their way to the Kurosaki residence only to find that Ichigo was already on his way towards one Arrancar. The two Shinigami—Jinta and Toushirou—split apart and found their own separate enemies to fight. Little did any of them know, those Arrancar were simply distractions; three other Arrancar were secretly—completely concealed from the world—traveling along the rooftops, preparing to attack.

_Jinta:_

"So—so tell me, why'd Jun send you guys in the middle of the night? Doesn't she know people are sleeping?" Jinta quizzed.

"I don't know, I merely follow orders. I could care less who my leader is, as long as I don't die. I fight to live and I comply to live; I live to live." The Arrancar answered mechanically.

"You're really creepy you know that." Jinta commented.

"I've been called a robot and dead inside, but not creepy. I'll have to add that to my list as well." The Arrancar replied.

"Wow, you really _are_ creepy. No one keeps a list of things people call them, that's—I don't even know what to call that! I don't think that's _obsessive_, but it's still a little creepy." Jinta marveled.

"It's," The Arrancar stated, "just who I am."

"Well, I guess there's nothing wrong with that. How come you haven't released your sword? You're only a _Pawn_ level, but you're holding up pretty well. You're not really a _Pawn_ are you?" Jinta interrogated.

"No, I'm not a _Pawn_, but I'm not a _Bishop_, _Knight_, or _Rook_. I actually don't _have_ a category. Kii Ban-sama sent me here to see if she could determine my rank but, even I'm unsure of what I am." They admitted.

"Hmm, well why not test your strength. If you put up a _good_ fight, I'll call you a _Bishop_. If you put up a _great_ fight I'll call you a _Knight_. If you put up an _amazing_ fight I'll call you a _Rook_, but I don't think you're any higher. You're not a _Guardia_ and you're not Jun so, that's all I've got." Jinta proposed.

"Thank you, I think this'll be more of a test than a mission then." They surmised.

"As long as you give me a good sweat, I'll forgive you for being sent here while I was sleeping. Oh yea, I'm Hanakari Jinta, who're you?" Jinta introduced.

"I'm Cornelius Klum, please don't call me Corny." Cornelius introduced.

"Uh, I wasn't going to but okay." Jinta chuckled.

_Ichigo:_

"So, _you're_ the famous Kurosaki Ichigo who took down Aizen huh? Cool," The Arrancar raved, "I've wanted to meet you since I heard you were still alive. I didn't like Aizen all that much; he was a bastard, so thanks for killing him. Even though I say that, I've still been ordered to kill you by an Aizen fan girl. Jun's not a bad leader for war, but she's a real bitch who could care less about if you're alive or dead; as long as you can work and move properly, then you can fulfill your mission like a good soldier should. Damn bitchy leader she is."

"Uh…thank you I guess? As for Aizen, yea he was a cocky bastard but, I guess that's to be expected of someone with a big ego like that. So, what's your name?" Ichigo chuckled nervously.

"Oh right, Céleste Daguerre, a _Bishop_ if you please, or _Level Four_ if you please." She introduced.

"I'll stick with _Bishop_, makes you sound more human or well, not like some object. Even though you're the enemy, you're still a living thing, not some inanimate object." Ichigo decided.

"Wow that makes me feel really good. Thank you, we're only thought of as soldiers most of the time so I really appreciate that. I'll try giving you a good fight just for that." Céleste grinned.

"I'm looking forward to it." He smiled.

_Toushirou:_

"Hmm, this Arrancar stays silent while fighting. He shall prove to be a formidable enemy." Toushirou thought.

"Why is that Master?" Hyourinmaru asked.

"One who stays silent in battle is generally calculating, cautious, guarded, precise, and overall, _very_ aware of their surroundings. He may not have a large reiatsu, but neither does Kurosaki because she reins it in all the time. If he was like her brother, then I would have a better," Toushirou explained, "guess as to what he is capable of but, at this point I cannot say."

"Hmm, then you must be very wary of this opponent. As of right now, you have not a clue of what his abilities are. I urge you to be alert and aware." Hyourinmaru advised.

"I plan on it." Toushirou replied.

_Secret Arrancar:_

"So, who's taking out whom?" One asked.

"I'll take the Utada kid." The third said.

"I'll take this chick. Heard she's got a bit of a foul mouth and anger streak. She might put up a fight if I ruffle her feathers a bit." The second smirked.

"I guess I'll be taking this green haired girl. She's really beautiful; pity I'll have to kill her." The first sighed.

"All right, now that that's over, let's go hunting." The second grinned.

"It reminds me of the hunt!" The third shouted.

"Uh…what does that mean?" The other two questioned.

"You two need to visit the World of the Living more often. Their shows over here, the ones that are imported that is, are sort of funny." The third giggled.

"Right, moving on, let's get to work while those three are occupied. You guys remember what we do after right?" The first prompted.

"Yea, we kill the rejects if they're not already dead and check to see if Vlad's done his share of the work. I don't think it matters if he's dead or alive, he's a bastard." The second scoffed.

"Awesome, let's break." The third beamed as she left.

"I wonder if Terry put something in her drink today." The first mentioned.

"I don't doubt it." The second added.

_Umemiya Kasumi's Home:_

"Katsurou, you ever think I'll ever be able to find my _real_ mother?" Umemiya frowned.

"I'm not sure; you'd have to sift through loads of documents to find her probably. You and I know you don't have the patience or the attention span." Her Zanpakutou replied.

"Yea tr—you sound like Etsuko!" She cried.

"Well you _do_ spend much of your time with her. You've _already_ picked up—I feel something coming close. Get up Kasu, get up right now. I feel something _bad_ coming." Katsurou urged.

"What's wrong Katsu, what's wrong?" Umemiya questioned as she hopped out of bed.

"Oh, so you sensed me huh? Good, I was hoping to fight you. I may be an assassin, but when I hear someone's just as feisty as me, I like—" The Arrancar started.

"Sore wa kuro ban, Kagizume no Hi 5(Burn it Black, Claws of Fire)!" Umemiya shouted.

"You know, you can burn down your little house here if you do that indoors. Ah well, it's not my house so I shouldn't really care should—?" The Arrancar sighed.

Umemiya swiped at her opponent, hoping to get a hit, but she quickly found herself outside on the ground. She looked up and saw the Arrancar staring down at her from her window. Umemiya rolled out of the way just in time to dodge a punch, but the ripples in the asphalt shook her body as she stood, disrupting her balance. The Arrancar kicked Umemiya's ribs and landed an uppercut to her chin. Umemiya defended against a third attack with her blade, burning her opponent's arm. The clothe was completely singed, nothing left of it, and only a burn mark—very painful despite the enemy keeping a straight face—left to show Umemiya wasn't going down easily.

"Heh, I guess I _did_ pick a good one. All right, let's see how feisty you _really_ are, Umemiya Kasumi." The Arrancar smiled.

"I'm strong enough to take you down." Umemiya growled.

"Well, we'll see about that now won't we?" The Arrancar asked from behind.

_Fujiwara:_

"Damn, I have no clue where the hell I am. What the hell man, it was all misty and now I'm back home! Why the hell am I here?" The Arrancar yelled.

"Hmm, he doesn't look like he's got any bad memories." Fujiwara thought.

"Just calm down and try searching harder. Everyone has some skeletons—bodies buried in the backyard under the shed, so he should too." Her Zanpakutou assured.

"All right, I'll try. Let's do it together Rin-san." Fujiwara smiled.

"Of course, that's what I'm here for." She smiled.

_Utada:_

"Damn, this chick is seriously strong. What do they eat over there in Hueco Mundo! I'm seriously getting really freaked out! I can barely use a technique; she's way too fast for me to see and she's _way_ above my level. I'm not going to win, I know it." Utada panicked.

"Oh shut up you buffoon! Think positively and that'll increase your moral which in turn will increase your resolve and that'll help increase your skills! Quit being a damned pessimist! Time may be said to look over, but if you try hard enough, you'll find some really precious moments won't you?" Sen-san screeched.

"Yes, yes I can. All right, let's do this!" Utada cheered.

"Oh, it looks like you're a bit happier; did that kick rattle your brain around so much that—?" The Arrancar mocked.

"Nejiru to Mawaru, Toki no Sentou 6(Twist and Spin, Time Spire)." Utada whispered from behind.

"What the—?" The Arrancar started.

"I'll make sure I _stop_ and _kill_ you. I'll take you _out_ of the course of time itself." Utada snorted.

"All right then, I'll go hardcore too. Deteriorarse, la lluvia ácida 7(Deteriorate, Acid Rain)." The Arrancar smirked.

_Karin:_

"Wow, he really does put up a good fight. My back is pretty burned, I can't feel my fingers, and I think some flesh is falling off my leg—no, it's my foot." Karin concluded.

"Well, his element _is_ fire. We may be wind, but he was right, we make fires bigger. Sure we're slicing him to bits, but even though he's down to one arm, almost all of his clothes are either torn or burned; we gave him a new haircut and _lots_ of slashes all over his body. You'll have to end this soon Ka—there are three other—Fuji, Utada, and Umemiya are all fighting their own battles. Karin, there are a total of _seven_ Arrancar in the Town, not four. You, Jinta, Toushirou, Ichigo, and the other three are _all_ fighting. Jun's trying to take you guys out right now, not later." Kamikaze surmised.

"Shit, let's move. I don't think I'll need to break the sound barrier, but just in case, I'm gonna need access to it." Karin stated.

"Fine, if you _really_ need it, I'll allow it, but not before that. Come on, let's move; Utada, Umemiya, and Fuji won't last too long. Looks like Fuji's having a hard time with her enemy; Utada's not doing so bad, but Umemiya and her opponent are hoping all over the town." Kamikaze reported.

"Raiun 8(Thundercloud)!" Karin shouted.

The clear sky above suddenly covered over with clouds; the wind grew fiercer and the air colder. Rain poured from the sky, lightning flashed and loud booms of thunder sounded through the town. Vladimir looked up, expecting an attack from above, and Karin took the lovely opportunity to stage her next attack. She zipped up behind him and attempted to stab him, but he blocked at the last minute. Their weapons clashed and a sudden jolt crawled up Vladimir's arms, shaking him slightly. He glanced down at his Sai, but thought nothing of it; it was only a shake after all. Another flash of lightning lit up the sky and crashed down towards Vladimir. He dodged, but was caught by Karin's tonfas. She stabbed his right arm, but found that to be a very grave mistake. He swung his body around, pulling her tonfas along with him; he threw them off into the dark, leaving her weaponless. He lunged at her with his fiery Sai, only to hit another pair of tonfas, these now charged with lightning.

"What, that's _impossible_! I threw your tonfas to the ground just now!" Vladimir screeched.

"You _did_, but I still have them." Karin stated calmly.

"Ah, I remember your little trick from before, but I did not know it worked this way as well hmm." Vladimir smiled.

"Wow, from screaming to smiling in two point one seconds. Wow, that's what Yuzu does, but I thought only _she_ could do that. Well, I guess there are some—" Karin babbled.

"Cero hmm." Vladimir smiled.

"Oh shit, didn't think he'd pull that one." Karin thought.

"Well, just pull on your mask and use your own." Kamikaze suggested.

"Sure, you ready to go Harin?" Karin called.

"Whatever." She spat.

"Whoa, you almost hit me with that one. Don't worry, let me return the favor!" Karin yelled.

"What, I wasn't aware—!" Vladimir began.

A burst of white light erupted from the tip of Karin's foot and collided with Vladimir's retreating back. He was propelled forward and smashed into an empty building nearby. Karin sped after him, ending up inside the rundown edifice; she searched for his reiatsu, and barely had time to dodge his downward strike. She jumped back and nearly fell out of the hole in the wall, giving Vladimir a perfect vantage point.

_Toushirou:_

"As expected, he is quite a formidable opponent. Although he is strong and skilled, he has fallen victim to our attacks. He uses steel and such steel can only take so much damage in a cold temperature." Toushirou mentioned.

"It seems as though Kurosaki is fighting with a great deal of power. There were two _different_ ceros launched near her position although she has already moved. Hanakari-san and Kurosaki-Taichou—no," Hyourinmaru reported, "Hanakari-san seems to have finished his battle and is running off elsewhere. Kurosaki-Taichou's enemy is weakening, but they are still locked in battle. Six—no, it is now knocked down to five; others are fighting elsewhere within the town. It would seem that Jun Kii Ban was not only trying to defeat you and the other three, but more of Kurosaki's squad members."

"I'm sure Hanakari will be able to take care of at least one of the other threats. When finished here, I shall _also_ be heading over there to help—Hyourinmaru, I thought you said there were now _five_ reiatsu where these other Arrancar appeared." Toushirou responded.

"I did w—there are another three that just arrived. This isn't a battle, this is an assassination attempt." Hyourinmaru concluded.

"All the more reason to finish _this_ battle and go aide the other members. Wait, if Kii Ban is sending lower level Arrancar here to kill the _members_, then she would—the strongest is after Karin. Kii Ban is trying to take down Karin's squad without much resistance so she won't be of service if Kii Ban decides to attack." Toushirou surmised.

"Then we must hurry." Hyourinmaru added.

"Bankai, Daiguren Hyourinmaru." Toushirou called.

_Jinta:_

"Damn, so you were able to get out of Fuji's memory warp?" Jinta sneered.

"Yea, I don't have seriously bad memories. I try not to dwell on the past and since I forget lots of things, she couldn't do anything to me. It was easy to get out of that; all I had to do was find _her_ inside of _me_. After I broke out, she was pretty easy to kill, considering she was too shocked to move." The Arrancar revealed.

"Damn you, she was a good person too. Her Zanpakutou was a little scary, and sometimes she could be too, but she was just as good as anyone else on the squad." Jinta snapped.

"Oh well, she's dead now so what does it—?" The Arrancar sighed.

He didn't get to finish his sentence, and he never saw it coming; he didn't think Jinta was fast, because Jinta was _always_ better than what he let on. His blade sliced through its middle, quick and clean, silent and painless. There was barely any blood on his blade when it exited the body; the Arrancar even had time to crane his neck around before blood poured from its mouth and its body suddenly deteriorated.

"Well, that was quite a show. Looks like you're one hell of a—" A female Arrancar commented.

"Kozoku ka, Eesu 9(Speed Up, Ace)." Jinta whispered.

He swung his Kanabo around and clocked the female, but didn't kill her just yet. She crashed into a brick wall and stumbled forward amidst the dust and debris, nursing a broken arm and bloodied lips. She growled angrily, enraged by Jinta's actions when she was only complimenting his skill. She pulled the chopsticks from her hair with her left hand and pointed them at Jinta. Unfamiliar with her abilities and skills, Jinta prepared to tackle whatever she threw or shot at him, too pained to care about her capabilities.

"Llorar, morir flamenco 10(Cry, dying flamingo)." She hissed from behind.

She jabbed her chopsticks at his neck, but he dodged all too quickly; his Kanabo reverted back to its original state and he sliced off the ends of the chopsticks. She jumped back, shocked by his actions; in all her time training and fighting, no one had ever been able to break or even nick her chopsticks. She stood there a little too long, allowing Jinta to kill her just as quickly as he had the other, not even sparing a second glance at her deteriorating body.

"Cry to _that_, flamingo." Jinta spat.

_Umemiya:_

"Oh," The Arrancar—Jade Herrington—laughed, "looks like two of my friends were killed after they killed _your_ friend. I'm not sure which one, but I could care less. As long as this mission goes according to plan, I don't care who dies and who lives as long as _I_ kill _you_."

"T—T—Tha—that was _Etsuko_ you bitch! I'll kill you just to get back at—!" Umemiya roared.

"Sorry kid, but I'm done playing around." Jade sighed.

She lunged forward and parried with Umemiya's blade, forcing it back easily. She jumped up and dodged another swipe from Umemiya, and upon landing, kicked Umemiya's feet from under her. Umemiya fell to her knees, but rolled over to avoid another strike. She hopped to her feet and just as she went to stab her opponent, she felt a blade pierce the back of her throat and exit through the front. She convulsed twice before succumbing to death and dropping her blade.

"Good job Hitomi, you might just move up from your _P_—" Jade started.

"Kii Ban-sama said for me to kill you as well." Hitomi stated before jumping towards her.

The two comrades clashed, a small battle breaking out between them until Ichigo arrived on scene and killed them _both_. He looked over at Umemiya's dead body, hanging his head in shame; he, as usual, felt _he_ was responsible for her death more so than not _expecting_ her death. Jinta arrived soon after, and walked over to Ichigo, giving him one pat on the shoulder; Jinta did not blame him, so neither should Ichigo. They sighed and gathered Umemiya's body, returned to grab Fujiwara's and headed off to Utada's position to collect his. The two men knew what had happened; they knew what had happened and knew they couldn't have stopped it: Jun Kii Ban planned and succeeded in assassinating the three other Shinigami.

"Why didn't she send Arrancar to go kill Mao and Yasushi?" Ichigo asked.

"They're not really a threat to anyone besides the average seven-year-old. They wouldn't be able to even _scratch_ an Arrancar unless it was standing still and _let_ them scratch at it. Besides, I don't think she'd try doing that; she might hate Karin, but Jun wouldn't try killing them, she's got a soft spot too." Jinta explained.

"Well, at least _they're_ safe. All that's left are those two and you three right?" Ichigo questioned.

"Yea, but with Ururu out of commission and the twins too weak to take on Arrancar, we don't really have a squad anymore. We'll have to revert back to our original trio at this point. I guess Karin's gonna chat with Jii-Jii and tell him the news." Jinta answered.

"Hanakari, Kurosaki wh—so they're all dead. I had come to the conclusion that—what is that f—fee—feeling?" Toushirou rambled.

"Whoa, even _I_ feel that." Ichigo remarked.

"That's _Karin_ when she takes off her bracelets. Whoever she's fighting must be pretty strong. Karin tries keeping those things on all the time. If you suddenly get sliced by some wind, don't be shocked; Karin's reiatsu spreads out all through the air so she can move the wind with or without her tonfas." Jinta explained.

"Why aren't _you_ affected by this?" Toushirou inquired.

"I'm too used to it. After being close to her when she's done that, it's no biggie when you're away from her. Karin and I are each other's 'backs' as we say. We know almost everything about each other and there are almost no secrets between us. For example: I know her favorite foods, her favorite stores, what shin guards she _must_ wear on a game day," Jinta listed, "the size of her shoes, how to copy her handwriting, and a bunch of other stuff. I can even _see_ inside of her _blinding_ seal and _that's_ hard for anyone."

"Are you _sure_ you're dating _Yuzu_?" Ichigo drawled.

"Yea, I don't like Karin like that. I like girls like Yuzu; the ones who need and _want_ protection. Karin would sooner kick me off a bridge than ask me to help carry her shopping bags. Karin would _stab_ me if I suggested buying her a new sundress. Karin would _kill_ me if I told her pink or sunny yellow looked the best on her. Hell, she'd throw me in front of a bus if I tried defending her during a fight in school. Dragging her away for her own good is one thing, but _defending_ her is another; helping is different too, heh, those guys didn't even see me coming. Bastards, they shouldn't have touched Yuzu." Jinta babbled.

"Wow, you two sure are a pair." Ichigo muttered.

"Yea, we are. I think _that's_ why guys at school shy away from her. I wouldn't let a guy try dating Karin unless he passed tests of mine." Jinta grinned, glancing at Toushirou.

"What _tests_ would you put someone through? I never understood _testing_ prospective significant others." He snorted.

"It's to make sure they're suitable for Karin. I'm not just gonna let _anyone_ kiss or hold Karin. Who knows, they might try raping or killing her when she least expects it. They might break her heart even though she's built tough and tries to keep it together no matter what. I don't know if you've ever seen it, but she _can_ cry." Jinta replied, staring _directly_ at Toushirou.

"Eh, you've seen Karin _cry_?" Ichigo marveled.

"Yea, Yuzu got hit by a car once when Karin wasn't there to help her shop. Karin had a soccer game that day. Karin offered to help, but Yuzu demanded that she stay to help her team. When Karin heard she was hit by a car, she ran to the hospital and nearly broke down right when she reached the door. I left the room and closed the door; I heard her crying just outside even though she was trying to be quiet about it. I walked in silently and knocked her out to save her the humility of it later, but tearstains were still on her cheeks." Jinta revealed.

"Hmm, I see. That's unlike Kurosaki completely, it makes se—you want to make sure a significant other does not make her_ cry_?" Toushirou questioned.

"Toushirou, would you want someone making Hinamori cry? She's like your sister right? So, if someone asked to date her would you just _let_ them date her or would you check them out first?" Ichigo snapped.

"I would ch—oh, I see." He murmured.

"Exactly, now let's get back to Urahara's shop; we'll have to have these bodies buried." Ichigo scoffed.

"Hitsugaya, go check on Karin; I don't want her to raze the surrounding buildings again. Utada can't replace them anymore." Jinta ordered.

"I—" He started.

"I don't want to hear any apologies or a refuse. You're _going_ to go see if Karin's all right. Oh, just remember to breathe _calmly_ and _steadily_ or else you'll be suffocated." Jinta cut across.

"Toushirou, make sure my sister's safe." Ichigo stated.

_Karin:_

"You know, I'm not even supposed to take these off. As you can see, it causes _lots_ of problems. Hell, this building is already razed; Jinta's probably gonna be pissed when he finds out about this." Karin babbled.

"This girl is stronger and faster than she lets on hmm. It's no wonder Kii Ban-sama sees her as a threat hmm. Ho, it seems that she has a little friend coming to help her hmm. I say, let's give them a show." Vladimir thought.

"Quit smiling like that! You look like a fucking creepy clown of death or something!" Karin screamed.

Their blades clashed once more, sparks flew and the fire on Vladimir's Sai burst to life, burning Karin's hand once more.

"Bakudou #9: Horin!" Karin shouted.

The orange and yellow tendril erupted from Karin's hands and wove its way towards Vladimir. He swiftly dodged the attack, but was suddenly bound from behind. His head whipped around to see Toushirou standing just a few meters behind in the hall. Vladimir dodged his strike and moved closer to a window, using that as his quick escape route. Karin and Toushirou followed after him, Karin successfully cornering him down below in her office. Vladimir smiled once more, knowing his mission was going according to plan—mostly that is; he hadn't expected Toushirou to return until he felt him. Vladimir finally broke free of his binds and swatted Toushirou away, the Shinigami crashing through two walls. Karin took no time to check over Toushirou and rushed forward at Vladimir. Her blade ran through his chest, exiting through the back, but still, he smiled.

"Hmph, it se—seems like e—everything went—I—no, I still have something more hmm." Vladimir smiled.

"Damn you and your creepy smi—" Karin started.

She felt a slight pain in her neck and looked to the side. Vladimir's hand was raised, a silver syringe lingering between his fingers before his hand slipped away and his body disintegrated. Toushirou chose that exact moment to return to battle, sensing Vladimir's diminishing reiatsu. He watched as Karin swayed on her feet, fingers twitched, and finally, she fell forward, unconscious and tired.

"Kurosaki, Kurosaki, Kur—Karin wake up. Karin, Karin you need to—what's this?" Toushirou urged.

"Master, it looks as if Jun Kii Ban had different plans than we originally thought. I highly doubt Kurosaki was aware of this plan. Whatever was in that syringe caused her to lose consciousness; we should bring her back to—Master, I get the feeling we are _not_ alone." Hyourinmaru rambled.

"Ah, as do I. I—there's that—that shadow is moving on its _own_? Th—Th—that's _impossible_. Shadows can't move by _themselves_, they need an object or person to be able to move. They're called _shadows_ for that reason alone. Shadows aren't s—" Toushirou babbled.

"You should take her to the Urahara Shoten. He can help her." A voice suggested.

"Who—how can you speak? I know you're a _shadow_, but shadows cannot _speak_. That's impossible no matter _what_ dimension or universe you're in!" Toushirou yelled.

"Yea, but I'm talking to you right now right? Heh, you're interesting; come back later and I might answer a question or two. Now, you should head over to the Urahara Shoten." The shadow snickered.

"I _will_ return with questions." Toushirou stated before disappearing.

"Heh, I know you will, I know you will." The shadow smirked.

_Urahara Shoten:_

"Toushirou, what happened to my sister?" Ichigo roared.

"I'm not sure. We both fought her enemy, but I was thrown through two walls. She killed him by the time I returned, but just after, she fell forward with _this_ jabbed into her neck." Toushirou reported.

"Ho, this is a very _grave_ matter. Come along, we'll have to treat her since the others are already dead." Kisuke said seriously.

"Dammit, we're all just falling apart now aren't we?" Jinta growled under his breath.

"Hanakari, do not wallow in self-loathing and misery; you shall only be trampling upon their honor and pride if you do that. Let them die with their pride and honor." Toushirou advised.

"Yea, thanks." Jinta mumbled.

* * *

><p><strong>AUTHOR'S NOTES &amp; TRANSLATIONS (AGAIN):<strong>

1) Ravage, Divine Winds

2) A weapon based fighting game developed by _Project Soul©_ and produced by _Namco©_

3) Cremate, burning coffins

4) Hailing Hurricane

5) Burn it Black, Claws of Fire

6) Twist and Spin, Time Spire

7) Deteriorate, Acid Rain

8) Thundercloud

9) Speed Up, Ace

10) Cry, dying flamingo

As usual, I thank _Everyone_ who took the time to read/review this chapter of _The Substitute Squad Captain_. *Bows in Appreciation*

Once again, I sincerely apologize for my lateness! *Vigorously Bows in Apology*

**PLEASE REVIEW!**

~sayo-chan

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	12. The Beast Unleashed

**I DO NOT OWN BLEACH: ALL CREDIT GOES TO KUBO-SAMA FOR HIS BRILLIANCE & CHARACTERS.** I appreciate the time everyone takes to read this fanfiction. *Bows in Appreciation*

**PLEASE REVIEW!**

**AUTHOR'S NOTES & TRANSLATIONS:**

Um...there seems to be a lack of translations for this chapter...very strange, very strange indeed...moving on.

* * *

><p><strong>The Substitute Squad Captain<strong>

_Recap:_

"_Master, it looks as if Jun Kii Ban had different plans than we originally thought. I highly doubt Kurosaki was aware of this plan. Whatever was in that syringe caused her to lose consciousness; we should bring her back to—Master, I get the feeling we are not alone." Hyourinmaru rambled._

"_Ah, as do I. I—there's that—that shadow is moving on its own? Th—Th—that's impossible. Shadows can't move by themselves, they need an object or person to be able to move. They're called shadows for that reason alone. Shadows aren't s—" Toushirou babbled._

"_You should take her to the Urahara Shoten. He can help her." A voice suggested._

"_Who—how can you speak? I know you're a shadow, but shadows cannot speak. That's impossible no matter what dimension or universe you're in!" Toushirou yelled._

"_Yea, but I'm talking to you right now right? Heh, you're interesting; come back later and I might answer a question or two. Now, you should head over to the Urahara Shoten." The shadow snickered._

"_Ho, this is a very grave matter. Come along, we'll have to treat her since the others are already dead." Kisuke said seriously._

"_Dammit, we're all just falling apart now aren't we?" Jinta growled under his breath._

* * *

><p><em><span>The Beast Unleashed:<span>_

_Kurosaki Residence:_

"I told you Ichi-nii, I feel _fine_. Whatever the heck happened that night was just for that night. Calm down, I'm not becoming a _full_ Shinigami right now am I?" Karin assured.

"Yea but Karin," Ichigo argued, "you've been in a daze and mumbling to yourself. Ever since that night, you're really jerky and twitchy. And sometimes you growl for no reason you know that? Karin, whatever that guy injected you with, it wasn't for your benefit."

"I'm fine Ichi-nii; it's probably just some side effects. Being jerky and twitchy doesn't mean I'm going to die right now does it?" Karin laughed.

"Yea but still, I don't like how jerky and twitchy you are." Ichigo voiced.

"I know Ichi-nii, you've said that seven times already. Come on, we should head over to Urahara's. I—I'd like to see them. I didn't tell Mao or Sushi because that might break them." Karin urged sadly.

"Sure, we can go do that. See if you can keep up with me!" He challenged as he raced by.

"You're so on!" Karin shouted.

_Urahara Shoten:_

"Da—Damn—Damn Karin you—y—you run f—fast. You're faster than _me_ and I'm a _Captain_." Ichigo panted.

"Ye—Ye—Yea well, I—I play socc—soccer almost every day. Besides, I—I—I like running." She huffed.

"Ho, looks like you two had a wonderful race. Come, you may see the bodies. We shall be sending them off to Soul Society tonight." Kisuke greeted.

"Thanks Urahara, I—I didn't get to um, yesterday." Karin murmured.

_Downstairs:_

"They were all assassinated from behind. From my information, you three and Hitsugaya-Taichou were distracted while Jun Kii Ban sent six others to take out Utada-kun," Kisuke briefed, "Umemiya-san, and Fujiwara-san. Those three must have fought and maybe defeated their enemies and while fighting them, were killed from behind. Overall, Jun Kii Ban sent distraction for _all_ of you, and then proceeded to take these three and Kurosaki-chan here."

"Damn, I didn't see this one coming. That's—I'm—this is horrible. I'm such a fucking idiot. I can't even protect friend from getting killed. I—" Karin griped.

"You couldn't have done anything Karin, so shut up about it. Come on, they're leaving tonight so let's leave them be. They're gone so you can't do anything else. Leave 'em alone or sit there silently, but don't mope and hate yourself." Jinta snapped.

"Right, I won't—my—dammit—what—my head hurts." Karin coughed.

"Karin, Karin are you all right?" Ichigo questioned.

"Kurosaki-chan, is there something wrong?" Kisuke asked.

"Kurosaki-dono, let me assist—" Tessai started.

"It's my fault! I'm sorry! I—I—I—I'm sorry! I—I didn't mean to! I'm sorry! I—I didn't mean it! I—it was—was an accident! I didn't mean it!" Karin screamed as she grabbed her head.

"Whoa, what the hell's going on?" Ichigo yelled.

"No…don't hurt me! I'm sorry, I didn't mean to! I didn't mean to do it!" She repeated, curled up in pain on the floor.

"What the hell is going on?" Ichigo cried.

"Oh dear, this is _not_ good." Kisuke muttered.

"You think! Tessai, we need to—" Yoruichi started.

"Karin…Karin…Karin, it's _not_ your fault. You couldn't control it, let it go. You didn't do anything." Jinta consoled.

"I did it—I know I did—it's my fault! I'm sorry—I'm so sorry!" She shrieked.

"Karin…Karin…Karin stop moving around! Dammit Karin…I'm sorry but, I'm gonna have to put you out." Jinta sighed.

He jabbed his fingers at a pressure point in Karin's neck, forcing her into unconsciousness immediately. He shook his head as he gathered her into his arms and walked away; no one said a word, silence filled the once scream-filled room. _They_ were too stunned and confused and _he_ was too sad and troubled to be bothered with words.

_Toushirou:_

"That shadow said it'd answer my questions. I hope it wasn't just playing around with my mind. Or maybe it wasn't even—no, it was _definitely_ real. There was some reiatsu emanating from it even though shadows are to _follow_ after something, not move on their own." Toushirou thought.

"But Master, do you think it will even _answer_ certain questions? Some questions are better left unanswered or some just cannot _be_ answered." Hyourinmaru input.

"If it cannot answer certain questions than that is fine. I have already taken that into account; it does not seem like an ally, but it does not seem like the enemy. Whatever it is, I _know_ and _anticipate_ it not answering certain questions. There is a few that," Toushirou explained, "I _do_ want answered though."

"Be alert at all times. As you said, it is not an ally, but it is not the enemy; it may just kill you if you irritate it in the slightest." Hyourinmaru advised.

"I plan on doing so. Come, this will not be easy alone." Toushirou breathed.

_Karin's Office:_

"So, looks like you came back to play twenty questions huh? Cool, I don't get to talk much so it's good that I've got someone who can hear and see me. What can I do for you, if I can?" The shadow greeted.

"Tell me: should I stop chasing a shadow just because I can't catch one?" Toushirou questioned.

"Heh, you're good, I'll give you that. You're the first person to figure out that I leave this place in the middle of the night. Or rather, _I_ don't leave, but I'm _allowed_ out of here." The shadow complimented.

"Hmm, how and why are you stuck in this room all day and night?" Toushirou asked.

"I'll be sealed up in here until Karin accepts it." It said softly.

"What does she have to accept?" Toushirou inquired.

"Hey man, I've got questions too! All right, so first question: Why do you wanna know about me so badly?" The shadow quizzed.

"You are not an _ally_, but you're not an _enemy_ either. You are simply a bystander, but more than the _common_ bystander. Not to mention you seem to have some sort of _attachment_ towards Karin." Toushirou answered.

"Hmm, fair enough I guess. Next question: Why are you so concerned about Karin? You looked like you were _stabbed_ when she fell to the floor last night. I can tell you like her, don't deny it, but _why_ exactly?" The shadow interrogated.

"Certain questions are better left unanswered." Toushirou stated.

"All right, fair enough. I won't pry, I'll say this though: Break her heart, if you fess up one day, and you'll be running from more than just her brother and Jinta." The shadow threatened.

"I understand. Now, my question earlier: What does she have to accept?" Toushirou repeated.

"Certain questions are better left unanswered until asked to the right person." The shadow smirked.

"Fair enough, I shall give you that. _How_ are you sealed up in this room; you did not answer that earlier." Toushirou questioned.

"Karin's put a seal on this room. I'm amazed it hasn't activated yet. It's the same one you two were training in the other day." The shadow replied.

"You can see into other rooms?" Toushirou asked, slightly impressed.

"No, I can't _see_ into other rooms, I just track reiatsu. I can _feel_ where people are and what they're doing, but I can't _see_ outside of this room." The shadow chuckled.

"Hmm, this shadow is _interesting_ to say the least. It does not seem to be offended easily or irritated very easily either. So far, I know it has _some_ sort of attachment to Kurosaki and it won't be able to leave until—what's that?" Toushirou calculated.

"What's that over there?" Toushirou inquired.

"What? What's wh—don't touch that." The shadow snapped.

"I apologize, I shan't touch it." Toushirou apologized.

"No, it's fine it's just I—well—you see—I get very touchy about that. It's only a damned _replica_ but she treats it like the real thing. I don't want or need anyone to touch that, seeing _her_ touch it is enough to piss me off and sadden me at the same time. Sorry, it's just—I," The shadow babbled, "didn't want—I hate that damned sword. You know what, touch the damned thing, but throw it out of this place. Toss it down will ya'."

"Yes, but may I ask what _this_ is? No, I was with her when she bought or had this. Yes, we were in that sword shop; I needed a new sharpener for Hyourinmaru and she needed to get an order. This—she was—yes, this is the black tip I saw. Wow, Sagisu-san wasn't kidding when he said it was 'absolutely beautiful' now was he? It's _engraved_ as well." Toushirou rambled as he lifted the sword.

"Yea, it's nice all right, I'll give you that, but I hate how she treats it." The shadow admitted.

"Why are you so _angered_ and _off-put_ when I hold this sword or you mention how Kurosaki treats it?" Toushirou questioned.

"That's a question for _her_, but I can answer _some_ of it. I don't like how she looks at it and cherishes _it_ so much. You'd think she thought it was the best blade on the planet." The shadow spat.

"Impossible, that's not possible at all. I'm over thinking this situation; there's no way that's possible. It's one thing to seal it away and not use it, but another to seal it away and still use it." Toushirou thought.

"Master, your thoughts are so convoluted even _I_ can't decode them. What exactly are you speaking about?" Hyourinmaru asked.

"I think—" Toushirou started.

"You should head over to downtown Karakura right now. Karin's not—her Hollow's gotten the best of her. There's no _way_ her reiatsu can feel like _that_ and _not_ be the work of her inner Hollow. We'll finish this game some other time; you should go help stop her." The shadow suggested.

"I shall return but, answer this: What are you called?" Toushirou inquired.

"Just call me _Shin_ for right now. I can't give you my name until she accepts it. Go help her all right; she's still—she never got over it." _Shin_ chuckled lightly.

"I shall return later." Toushirou stated before disappearing.

"Karin, will you _finally_ accept me now that he's gone? I hate being sealed away in here. I know we went through painful times, but did I really deserve to be _sealed_ away? I like the dark, but I don't like these chains." Shin lamented.

_Downtown Karakura:_

"Dammit Karin, Karin wake up! Karin, please stop—I know how—just calm down! Stop being afraid—no one's going—Karin just calm down!" Ichigo yelled as he blocked a few strikes.

"She's not going to listen to you! She's too far gone at this time. We need the _experts_ for this!" Jinta hollered.

"Ho, did I hear someone ask for our assistance?" A voice asked.

"Hirako, Mugu—uh—I don't remember your name." Ichigo greeted.

"It's Muguruma Kensei you ass! Move aside, _I'll _handle her; she's _my_ student anyway. Tch, she's just failed her long-term exam." Kensei snapped.

"What about me? I'm standing right here you baldy!" Hiyori roared.

"Oh yea fang-girl." Ichigo muttered.

"If we weren't here to help Karin, I'd be kicking your ass right now. Oh shit, screw that, we've got Hollow trouble right now." Hiyori snarled.

"I guess we'll all be fighting some Hollows instead of Karin-chan." Shinji sighed.

"Urahara, exactly what happened to Kurosaki?" Toushirou asked, appearing on the scene.

"We're not too sure actually. She started screaming and convulsing earlier, and then started to Hollowfy for a _second_ time. It's not common for that to happen; only Kurosaki-san has had that happen to him. It seems she has lost control of that inner demon she had chained up so tightly." Kisuke reported.

"That doesn't make any sense. What would prompt—that serum within that syringe? Whatever that serum contained most likely caused her to lose control of her inner Hollow. Hmm, this isn't something I've seen personally; it looks as if she's a Vasto Lorde, instead of a Shinigami with a Visored mask on." Toushirou thought.

"Hey Hitsugaya, you just gonna stand there or help us fight off these Hollows?" Jinta shouted.

"Hanakari, it's _Hitsugaya-Taichou_, not _Hitsugaya_." Toushirou growled.

"You're griping ab—nothing." Jinta sighed.

_Kensei V.S. Karin:_

"Come on Kuro, come on Kuro, fight me for real! I don't see your Kurosaki potential I hear about! Where's my goddamned student; get your ass moving and fight me seriously!" Kensei roared as he punched her through a building.

_Karin's Inner World:_

"Ha, you _had_ the top for a while, but now _I_ have the top." Harin snickered.

"I'm back for it. I have no idea how you got out, but I'm taking my spot back." Karin growled.

"Ha, let's see if you _can_!" Harin cackled.

The girls charged at each other; their fists were raised, determination and anger clear in their eyes, but somewhere in Karin's mind, there was fear and loneliness. She shook the feeling off, but only for a few moments. The feeling was nagging at the back or her head, impeding her skills and clouding her mind. She brushed it off as Harin trying to weaken her and thankfully overcame it, but that didn't do anything to increase her skill or strengthen her resolve. She called for Kamikaze, but oddly enough, the blade didn't form. She stood still, taken aback, and stared out at her windy world. There was _nothing_, this world resembled _nothing_ of what it used to be. The floating islands were barren and crumbling, the sun was covered by dark and ominous grey-black clouds. Angry and ferocious gales of wind whipped about, tearing and ripping her flesh unlike before when they caressed and soothed her body and mind. She scanned the barren and fearsome world, searching and searching for Kamikaze, but alas, she couldn't find him. Her temporary shock and fear left her open to all attacks. Harin took the advantage and sent Karin plummeting down into the rocky abyss below; she fell faster and faster, farther and farther away from the once welcoming sky. Her one and only place of true solace and happiness, the one place, she loved to be, the one place she loved to be more than anywhere: in the sky, with the cool wind blowing through her hair and across her face. She watched as the floating islands, once covered with leafy greens and bright flowers, crumbled after her, burying her in a rocky tomb.

"W—Where's Kamikaze? Where the hell is he? If he's testing me, then he should at least be somewhere _watching_. He's supposed to be _up there_, not anywhere else. Where the hell is he? Th—This—This isn't where I live; my home isn't this—I _don't_ live _here_. I'm—this isn't where I'm supposed to be. I'm supposed to be up there, on the islands chatting and laughing with Kamikaze right? I, I don't belong down here do I? Where are you Kamikaze! Kaze, answer me Kaze!" Karin thought frantically.

She received no answer. She didn't hear his snickering, no sarcastic or taunting remarks, no teasing and jeering, no reprimanding or demands, nothing, just silence. She could neither see nor hear him; his silence was filled with Harin's shrill laughter and the sound of rocks further crushing Karin. She had lost, she had lost the battle with Harin and she knew it. Her vision began to blur, dust and debris dried her throat and clogged her lungs; her body and bones were being broken by the rocks, but her soul, her soul was in an even worse condition. She knew she had lost, she, Kurosaki Karin, _knew_ she had lost.

"Karin, are you gonna lie around and let her beat the shit out of you? Get your ass up and _fight_! If you don't _fight_, how are you gonna _win_! We already lost Utada, Umemiya, and Fujiwara; we don't need to lose you _too_! Ururu's out still and Mao and Sushi can't do much! Who the hell's gonna help keep Jun and her lackeys at bay huh! Get your fucking ass up and _fight_! You're just gonna _let_ her take over? Get a hold of yourself! If you let her take over, don't you think Yuzu's gonna cry! Do you wanna make Yuzu," A voice screamed, "cry! Get your ass up and fight! Get up and fight Karin, because I can't watch my back without you!"

"Wh—Jinta? No, that's not, how can I hear him in here? He's not in here is—no, he's outside yelling at me. Heh, he's always so loud isn't he? He's got a good point though; I can't just lie here like I'm done for now can I? All right Jinta, I'm getting up, I'm getting up…and I'm ready to fight." Karin concluded.

_Sky:_

"Ha! She's gone; she's gone and gone _forever_! This is _my_ place now! _I_ have first place! _I'm_ Captain now! Ha! _I_ win! _I_ win! You heard that Karin! _I_ win! _I_ win!" Harin cheered.

As Harin danced about on a sole floating island, the clouds changed from grey to black; rain and hail poured down from the skies; the wind grew fiercer and howled louder; lightning flashed and thunder boomed as the rain and hail only poured down harder. The air grew colder and the skies darker; the once bright world was becoming shrouded in darkness and anger. Harin stopped her little victory dance, feeling the change in temperature, and hearing a rumbling noise from below. She peered over the edge of the island to see the rocks below shaking and quaking. She took a step forward, only to see her sandals get muddied and dirtied with the vile goop forming from the soggy island; her attention was redirected when she saw hurricanes swirling and howling in the distance.

"What the hell's going on?" Harin snarled.

"_This_ is what happens when there's an imbalance within the air currents and a disagreement between the skies." A voice recited.

"What? How the hell did you get back up here? No, _I_ won! _I_ won! _You_, _you're_ supposed to be dead! _You're_ the—!" Harin screeched.

Her screeching was cut short when Karin's fist smashed into Harin's jaw. The Hollow stumbled backwards and nearly fell off the island had the mud not gripped at her sandal. The island enlarged as Karin's feet settled onto the mud, making room for both combatants to fight for their places. Harin threw her fist at Karin's chest but Karin swiftly dodged and landed a roundhouse to her ribs. Harin tried two consecutive kicks, but both were blocked easily, as if Karin could read her every move. Harin jumped away, steps of land forming as she took their fight higher into the sky, hoping the clouds would provide some cover, barring Karin from seeing her clearly. Their skirmish went on for a short time, neither of the two making much progress as far as defeating each other goes (they both had some broken bones, bruises, and horrible gashes, but they were still standing). They were surrounded by the unrelenting storm; visibility was nearly nothing, neither could hear very well, and the cold was beginning to numb their bodies, but still, they fought on. They were at a stalemate until Harin swiped Karin's feet from under her and pinned her to the island. Harin raised her fist and struck Karin twice, but her third hit didn't land. Karin caught Harin's fist and snapped the wrist behind it easily, before dealing a blow of her own. Karin lifted her legs up and kicked Harin to the side, the latter nearly falling off the island. Harin struggled to her feet and made to move, but was stopped when Karin's arm—fingers, hand, wrist and all—thrust through Harin's chest. Harin stared down at Karin's appendage, shocked and terrified by Karin's actions.

"Kamikaze's gone, I know that, but that doesn't mean I'm letting _you_ take the top." Karin stated.

"Don't worry; you'll see me again soon. Heh, I'll be watching, and I'll be waiting, for that one moment, when you realize you're not strong enough to stand on your own two feet." Harin snarled.

"If I'm not strong enough to stand on my own, then I'll ask a _friend_ for a hand, not _you_." Karin scoffed.

"Just remember that Karin, I'll always be in here, breaking you to pieces. Little by little, you'll fall and I'll rise. Be careful Karin, I'm always right around the corner." Harin cackled.

Karin pulled her arm from Harin's chest and kicked her off of the island. Karin watched as Harin fell faster and farther into the rocky abyss below, making no sounds or shouting as she disappeared. She—Karin—stood there on the sole floating island, drenched in rain, sweat, and blood, waiting for Kamikaze to drop by next to her, but all was in vain. She knew the truth, she _felt_ the truth: he was gone. She had defeated Harin, she had fought to the top and reclaimed her position, but she was _nothing_ without him. She fell onto her back, lying in the dirty mud; hail pelted at her body and the winds shredded her skin. Soon enough, that sole island holding her up broke and crumbled, Karin falling down into the abyss as well.

_Downtown Karakura:_

"What the hell is she doing in there? She _never_ took this long!" Hiyori yelled as she sliced another Hollow.

"She might have another problem she's facing. She just lost the rest of her squad; the other three Shinigami were killed just last night. The only ones left are Jinta-kun, Ururu-chan, Kurosaki-chan, Mao-chan, and Yasu-kun." Kisuke relayed.

"Hmm, that might just be another problem. Wow, why is her life always so goddamned complicated. She's only what, sixteen—seventeen maybe right? I don't remember, but she's in high school so she's too young to have so many problems." Shinji babbled.

"Hey! I had just as many problems and _I_ was in high school _too_!" Ichigo roared.

"Yea so." Hiyori spat.

"Does _no one_ have sympathy for me?" Ichigo moped.

"No." Yoruichi snickered.

"Ha! Stupid baldy has no friends!" Hiyori teased.

"Wake up already you stupid student!" Kensei shouted.

Kensei grabbed Karin's shoulders and threw her down into the asphalt street below. He sped down after her, expecting her to meet his incoming punch, but when she—her Hollowfied form that is—didn't move, he jerked his fist back. The white bone cracked and shattered, leaving only a faint white powder upon her body. Jinta arrived first, leaving the remaining Hollows to the others; tending to Karin was his _main_ priority. Karin writhed about in pain for a few moments before coughing and sputtering, remains of white fluid being hacked up from her throat.

"Welcome back you moron. I guess you heard me yelling huh?" Jinta greeted.

"Yea, you're one n—noisy a—asshole." Karin coughed.

"Well, I'm the one who made sure you got back on your feet." He smirked.

"You failed your exam you moron!" Kensei roared in her ear.

"Ow, Kensei-Sensei that hurts. Besides, it was raining and storming in there; hurricanes and earthquakes were everywhere you know." Karin chuckled lightly.

"Looks like your mask changed. You're more like your brother than I would've thought." Shinji mentioned.

"Huh, I gu—there's no more paint! And, and the shape—why isn't it shaped the same?" Karin exclaimed.

"Chill out Karin, your brother's has changed right? So it's normal for it to change if you've undergone Hollowfication a _second_ time right? Jeez Karin, don't flip out over something like that." Jinta scoffed.

"Are you sure Hanakari? Kurosaki, when your mask changed, didn't that mean something _within_ you changed as well?" Toushirou questioned, looking over at Ichigo.

"Yea, but it was more like overcoming a barrier. I don't think Karin overcame a _barrier_. Wait, Karin did you over—?" Ichigo replied.

"I don't think so, but something def—" Karin started.

"Whoa Karin don't st—great she passed out. I swear if I weren't always here, she'd be falling from the sky all the time. Well, better take you to Mao-Mao and see what she can do." Jinta rambled.

"Jinta-kun, are you sure you should take her to Mao-chan? Mao-chan might want to know _why_ Kurosaki-chan is like that." Kisuke prompted.

"Oh yea, that might be bad. I still haven't told them that everyone else besides Ururu is dead. Damn, I'm going—so where should I take her then?" Jinta mumbled.

"We'll have Tessai-san do what he can. I still have to examine her in my lab; I wasn't able to finish all my tests." Kisuke stated.

"Tests? What is he talking about? I don't like the sound of Urahara running 'tests' on Kurosaki, but if her brother allows it, I guess he's not harming her." Toushirou wondered.

"Well if you guys have got that all figured out, we'll be leaving." Shinji announced.

"Remind her she's failed her exam and she needs to come retake it." Kensei stated.

"Tell that idiot she's a stupid baldy." Hiyori snapped.

_Urahara Shoten:_

"I shall take her body back into my lab and run a few tests. In the meantime, you two should go patrol or survey the damage at headquarters. Who knows, there might be some clues that could help with my diagnosis." Kisuke suggested.

"I'll go investigate the site." Yoruichi piped.

"Ah Yoruichi-san, I would like if you could do something else for me please." Kisuke smiled.

"I'm going to Soul Society aren't I?" She questioned.

"Yes please." He sang.

"Just tell me what I'm doing." She sighed before walking away.

"I'll go survey the damage on the site. Kurosaki, you should go check the victims' rooms and search for anything that might help with this operation. We may not have much jurisdiction down here, but we still have to report this incident to the Soutaichou." Toushirou ordered.

"_I'll_ go check everyone's houses. Kurosaki, you should chat with Yamamoto-Soutaichou, you know him better than I do. Besides, you're not as familiar with Jun's ways and their houses." Jinta declared.

"All right then, let's go." Ichigo said.

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><p><strong>AUTHOR'S NOTES &amp; TRANSLATIONS (AGAIN):<strong>

There still aren't any translations, but there are some notes!

As usual, I thank _Everyone_ who took the time to read/review this chapter of _The Substitute Squad Captain_. *Bows in Appreciation*

**PLEASE REVIEW!**

~sayo-chan

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	13. Spilling Secrets

**I DO NOT OWN BLEACH: ALL CREDIT GOES TO KUBO-SAMA FOR HIS BRILLIANCE & CHARACTERS.** I appreciate the time everyone takes to read this fanfic. *Bows in Appreciation*

**PLEASE REVIEW!**

**AUTHOR'S NOTES & TRANSLATIONS:**

1) Great Spirit Book Gallery; underground library in Central 46. Hard to access & contains all knowledge and history of Soul Society (thank you bleach wiki)

Ah yes! I have something to add!

**I GIVE CREDIT TO ichilover3 & Alierana FOR THEIR IDEA OF MAKING THE KUROSAKI FAMILY AN EXISTING FAMILY WITHIN SOUL SOCIETY.** I may not have borrowed the idea, but I thought it good to cover my but as we do in school; got to love right (no not really, but you get the picture...I hope)?

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><p><strong>The Substitute Squad Captain<strong>

_Recap:_

"_If I'm not strong enough to stand on my own, then I'll ask a friend for a hand, not you." Karin scoffed._

"_Just remember that Karin, I'll always be in here, breaking you to pieces. Little by little, you'll fall and I'll rise. Be careful Karin, I'm always right around the corner." Harin cackled._

_She—Karin—stood there on the sole floating island, drenched in rain, sweat, and blood, waiting for Kamikaze to drop by next to her, but all was in vain. She knew the truth, she felt the truth: he was gone._

"_I'll go survey the damage on the site. Kurosaki, you should go check the victims' rooms and search for anything that might help with this operation. We may not have much jurisdiction down here, but we still have to report this incident to the Soutaichou." Toushirou ordered._

"_I'll go check everyone's houses. Kurosaki, you should chat with Yamamoto-Soutaichou, you know him better than I do. Besides, you're not as familiar with Jun's ways and their houses." Jinta declared._

* * *

><p><em><span>Spilling Secrets:<span>_

_Ichigo:_

"Kurosaki-Taichou, may I ask why—?" Yamamoto started.

"Karin was injected with some stuff last night in a fight. Whatever she was injected with made her lose control of her Hollow today. We got her under control," Ichigo reported, "but we're not sure if she'll start up again. Utada Hideaki, Umemiya Kasumi, and Fujiwara Etsuko were assassinated last night while Karin, Hanakari Jinta, Toushirou and I were all distracted. Karin was busy fighting one Arrancar, I was busy with another, and Toushirou and Jinta were busy with two others. In total, there ten Arrancar present last night; we were able to kill all of them, but there were still major casualties."

"Hmm, this is a grave matter. For now, testing will stop, you and Hitsugaya-Taichou are to remain in Karakura Town and investigate this assassination to the best of your abilities. I urge you to employ the help of Urahara Kisuke, Shihouin Yoruichi, Tsumugiya Ururu, and Hanakari Jinta." Yamamoto commanded.

"Is it possible to send down a member of Twelfth Squad to help with the identification of the Arrancar reiatsu in the area?" Ichigo questioned.

"At this moment, I do not see it necessary to dispatch a member while we have little to no information. I'm assuming your sister is out of commission?" Yamamoto answered.

"Yes, Urahara-san's running some tests on her right now." Ichigo replied.

"Carry on with this investigation until she awakens. When she finally does awaken, question her and report to me your findings. Your sister is quite strong Kurosaki-Taichou, do not look so miserable. Kurosaki Karin would not be a _Captain_ if she could not handle this matter. Do _not_ disgrace your sister." Yamamoto boomed.

"Thanks Jii-Jii." Ichigo grimaced.

_Jinta:_

"I've got a _really_ bad feeling about this. If Karin didn't expect this assassination, then she might not expect the next thing Jun might pull. This is _bad_, I'm gonna have to tell Ishida-san to keep Mao-chan and Sushi safer than before." Jinta thought.

"Calm down Spitfire, your head's gonna explode if you—" Eesu soothed.

"I can't calm down! How the hell do you expect me to calm down when Ururu's still out, Karin's out and everyone else just got killed? How the hell can you sit there and tell me to 'calm down'!" Jinta screeched.

"Jinta, do you _really_ think all this screaming is gonna help bring them back or have Karin and Ururu wake up? Obviously it's _not_ going to help so there's no use screaming and shouting about it! The best thing you can do is help Hitsugaya and Ichigo investigate. Urahara's running tests on Karin and Ururu's getting better the more she sleeps. Just calm down Spitfire, you can't help investigate if you're so pissed off that you can't tell that you're walking into the wrong house." Eesu reprimanded.

"Whatever." Jinta mumbled.

_Toushirou:_

"Whoa, you're back for more questions?" Shin greeted.

"No, this time I've come to ask for your help." Toushirou denied.

"All right, what do you need?" Shin asked.

"You can see _within_ this room correct?" Toushirou questioned.

"Yea, I told you that today." Shin drawled.

"Then please, for Kurosaki's sake, help me search for any clues that might help with our current investigation. It seems that Kurosaki didn't expect this assassination plot, so there might be things that could have impaired her thinking or guessing skills. Just _something_ that—" Toushirou requested.

"I get it. I'll help, but you've got to do something for me too." Shin bartered.

"What?" Toushirou asked.

_Yoruichi:_

_Soul Society:_

_Twelfth Division:_

"And just _why_ would I help Urahara Kisuke?" Kurotsuchi scoffed.

"Because it involves hacking into the Daireishokairo 1(Great Spirit Book Gallery; underground library in Central 46) and Urahara thought you'd be the right person to ask. Guess he was wrong; I'll go ask—" Yoruichi instigated.

"What? How _dare_ you doubt my skills? Tell me, _what_ are you looking for? _I_ can hack into that place faster than you can run. I shall show you my superiority." Kurotsuchi bellowed.

"I need you to find the Zanpakutou called: _Kamikaze_ and see if it even _exists_." Yoruichi stated.

"Consider it done." Kurotsuchi snapped.

_Urahara Shoten:_

_Lab:_

"Hmm, now _this_ is odd." Kisuke murmured.

"Tenshou, is she showing signs of a third Hollowfication process?" Tessai asked.

"Oh no, that's not what's strange. She is in perfect health, but her reiatsu signature has _changed_. Normally one's reiatsu signature changes based on emotion, but when in a resting state, it shouldn't change as much as it did. Before her recent episode, her signature had always been wild yet graceful and flowing, like the wind itself. Now, it is calm and silent, but has an undertone of sheer fury and loneliness. That is a _drastic_ change from her original signature isn't it?" Kisuke explained.

"Yes but, what would cause such a drastic change? Overcoming a barrier, physical or mental can change a person, but it shouldn't change their reiatsu. Tenshou, exactly _what_ changed her reiatsu signature?" Tessai quizzed.

"I'm unsure at this moment. Until Yoruichi-san returns, I cannot be certain, but I _do_ have a hypothesis. I can't be certain, but I'm pretty sure I can substantiate it with my current findings and evidence." Kisuke revealed.

"Urahara-san, have you found out what's wrong with Karin yet?" Ichigo questioned, appearing suddenly.

"There's nothing I can say to soothe your nerves at the moment. Until Yoruichi-san returns, we can't be too sure. It might take at least two or three days for her to return if she does not find what I have asked for." Kisuke answered.

"So, Karin's going to be—" Ichigo started.

"She'll be placed in a sedative coma for right now. See to it that you inform the school of Karin's absence. It would be good for your father and sister to be notified as well. You may take her home if you wish though." Kisuke cut across.

"Thank you Urahara-san. Can I take her home now?" Ichigo inquired.

"You may." Kisuke replied.

_Kurosaki Residence:_

"Onii-chan, what happened to Karin-chan?" Yuzu squeaked.

"She um—we were walking," Ichigo lied, "down the stairs in the park and she tripped. She hit her head on the sidewalk so she's knocked out cold right now. She should wake up by tomorrow or the next day at the latest. Is Oyaji home?"

"No, he just ran over to the hospital to get some more medical supplies. Do you want me to check her injuries?" Yuzu questioned.

"Sure, I'm no good with that stuff so please?" He smiled weakly.

"Of course Onii-chan, she's always protecting me; the least I could do is help her right now." She beamed.

_Substitute HQ:_

"Wow, there's nothing but rubble and papers everywhere. Well, I guess this search was for nothing. You done, because we're not going to find anything." Shin commented.

"I've found two keys. Do you know what they open up?" Toushirou remarked.

"No." Shin said.

"You're a horrible liar, or you want me to find out for myself." Toushirou stated.

"You're good, I'll give you that. All right, they open up a filing cabinet. Where that cabinet is, I can't say. I'll leave that for you to find." Shin divulged.

"You are a very _strange_ and _mysterious_ shadow." Toushirou muttered.

"Aren't _all_ shadows strange and mysterious?" Shin chuckled.

"Indeed, they are. You on the other hand, are even _stranger_ than most shadows. There aren't very many shadows that speak, move, and think for themselves." Toushirou scoffed.

"True, but I'm not just a normal shadow now am I? Anyways, it's sundown so you should head back to the Urahara Shoten. I doubt you'd wanna stick around searching this place all night." Shin remarked.

"I shall return tomorrow to find which filing cabinet these keys open." Toushirou informed.

"Heh, let's see if you _can_ find that filing cabinet. It's hidden pretty well." Shin snickered.

"All the more reason to return and search." Toushirou quipped before disappearing.

"Well, I guess I should head out soon. Can't stay cooped up in here all night can I? Now that he's gone, I can roam around—maybe these chains will break." Shin rambled.

_Urahara Shoten:_

"Hanakari, I would like to speak with you about something." Toushirou informed.

"It'll have to wait 'cuz Tenshou said he's got a fix on what might be wrong." Jinta replied.

"Then we shall discuss this later." Toushirou huffed.

"Oh good, everyone's here. Now then, this is simply speculation but, I believe that serum has disconnected Kurosaki-chan from Kamikaze." Kisuke announced.

"What? How do you 'disconnect' someone from their Zanpakutou? Isn't a Zanpakutou part of your _soul_?" Ichigo drawled.

"It might not seem possible," Kisuke explained, "but the connection is _completely_ severed. There was a _dramatic_ change in her reiatsu. The feeling and texture is completely different prior to this incident. It wouldn't have surprised me had her reiatsu been removed, but _this_ is something very abnormal. Despite that, she still _has_ her large amount of reiatsu, so it may be possible for her to re—"

"Great, so now she's a loose cannon. And he was the _only_ thing holding her down. Well, I guess it'll have to be done. I'm leaving; I don't want to hear this." Jinta rambled.

"What? You don't want to _hear_ what's wrong with Karin? Aren't you her _best_ friend?" Ichigo roared.

"I _am_, and _that's_ why I don't want to hear it." Jinta snapped.

"Urahara, please keep going, this is interesting. I'll have to report this later so I'd like to have a clear and concise understanding of this incident. If this gets out of hand, we might have to transfer her to the Fourth Division and request the help of the Twelfth Division." Toushirou urged.

"Ah, pardon me. Anyways, this is simply a guess but, I don't believe Kamikaze was _Kurosaki-chan's_ Zanpakutou. Think about this: Kurosaki-san, what is the name of your father's Zanpakutou?" Kisuke continued.

"Engetsu, and mine is Zangetsu but what does that have to do with Karin?" He asked.

"Don't you find it strange that you and your father, members of the same family, wield a Zanpakutou with _–Getsu_ attached to it but your sister does _not_?" Kisuke prompted.

"Now that you mention it, it's sort of weird but who cares? Karin's not Oyaji and she's not me, she's just Karin." He snorted.

"Urahara, what did you mean by Kurosaki does not wield her _own_ Zanpakutou?" Toushirou questioned.

"It seems Kamikaze was simply _formed_ from her mind. Most Zanpakutou have _existed_ and _choose_ their masters, not many people are able to _form_ or _create_ their own Zanpakutou. Does that not seem strange to you?" Kisuke elaborated.

"Hmm, it does," Toushirou answered, "but then again, there were _two_ of my Zanpakutou in the past. Kusaka Soujirou and I _both_ wielded Hyourinmaru, but _I_ was the rightful owner. If you incorporate _that_ incident, then I would assume there's room for _this_ incident as well."

"Yea but wasn't his _fake_?" Ichigo inquired.

"That was never confirmed and even Hyourinmaru does not know why or how that happened. He himself was appalled and confused by it." Toushirou revealed.

"Tenshou, if what you're saying is correct, then that would mean—" Tessai began.

"Yes, that _Kamikaze_ does _not_ belong in her hands. He may have been _created_ from her _mind_, but he does not _belong_ in her _hands_. I'm only saying that because even if Jun Kii Ban was able to sever the connection between Kurosaki-chan and Kamikaze, her reiatsu signature wouldn't have changed as drastically as it did. Did _either_ of you notice the change?" Kisuke interrupted.

"No, I did not. There's a reason for this I assume?" Toushirou questioned.

"Not as of yet, but if and when she awakens, we might be able to get an answer. I have a hypothesis, but I need Yoruichi-san to return to confirm this." Kisuke divulged.

"What are you talking about?" Ichigo asked.

"We already speculate that _Kamikaze_ is _not_ her Zanpakutou right? So, going by the names of you and your father's Zanpakutou, hers is rather strange. What I'm saying is—" Kisuke explained.

"Kisuke, I got that info you wanted. You were right," Yoruichi announced as she entered the room, "_Kamikaze_ doesn't belong to Karin. It doesn't belong to _anyone_; Kamikaze doesn't and hasn't existed. It's not in _any_ of the records from all Divisions and even throughout Seireitei history. Karin's Zanpakutou doesn't even exist."

"All right, then that nearly completes this hypothesis." Kisuke stated.

"Urahara, I'd appreciate if you _stopped_ dancing around and reveal your findings. We can't help Kurosaki if we don't know what's wrong with her." Toushirou growled.

"Ah yes, pardon me. The Kurosaki family was a growing family in the First District even before Yoruichi-san, Tessai-san, and myself were born…rather found. They weren't nobles, but they were well known within Seireitei. Almost all of the offspring became useful and successful Shinigami. Some of the best assassins, investigators, medics, and warriors came from that family." Kisuke revealed.

"Is that why there's a legend of First District involving the Kurosaki name?" Toushirou inquired.

"Yes, but we didn't tell either of you because that's not really relevant at the moment. What _is_ relevant is this: _All_ and _every_ Kurosaki wielded a Zanpakutou with _-Getsu_ within its name. If that was the pattern, is it not strange that only your _sister_ was able to wield a _different_ Zanpakutou? Not every one of them had the same name, but they all had _-Getsu_ within it. Almost all blades within the Kurosaki family are _formed_, not _gained_. So _no_, it's not _strange_ that your sister may have created her own blade, but what is strange is that it doesn't follow your family's history." Kisuke elaborated.

"Why the hell didn't Oyaji tell me?" Ichigo roared.

"I didn't think I'd ever _need_ to tell you. If you think about it, it's not really relevant to know that our family once existed in Soul Society." Isshin answered suddenly.

"When did _you_ get here?" Ichigo yelped.

"A few minutes ago. I felt Karin's reiatsu disappear completely so I headed over here to find out why." He replied.

"Now then, shall I continue? Good, so what it all comes down to is this: Your sister is not using her _real_ Zanpakutou. Whomever and whatever owned this Zanpakutou is either dead or _gave_ it to her. How either of those things occurred I'm not sure." Kisuke finished.

"So, Kurosaki should be wielding a Zanpakutou with _-Getsu_ within its name but because she's _not_, it's assumed that her current Zanpakutou does not belong to _her_?" Toushirou concluded.

"Precisely." Kisuke answered.

"Why didn't we ever notice that?" Yoruichi asked.

"You're not supposed to notice it." A voice said.

"Ah Ururu-chan you're awake. Have all your wounds healed?" Kisuke sang.

"Yes Sir, thank you for taking care of me. As for what I just said, I shouldn't give away the rest because that's Karin-chan's business. If you'll excuse me, I'd like to take a bath." Ururu rambled shyly.

"Urahara, what exactly are you suggesting we do?" Isshin questioned.

"We will simply have to wait until Kurosaki-chan wakes up." He sighed.

_Week & 1/2 Later:_

_Urahara Shoten:_

"Hey lazy-ass, get up before I kick you outta my bed." A voice scoffed.

"Hey Jinta what the hell are you doing kicking my sister!" Ichigo roared.

"I'm getting her up, what does it _look_ like I'm doing?" He snapped.

"It would do you _both_ well to be quiet while in this room. Kurosaki does not take lightly to being woken up for no reason." Toushirou hissed as he entered the room.

"Shut up, you're all so damn loud. Jinta do you—?" Karin moaned.

"Painkillers are right here, water in my hand, and breakfast near your feet. Ururu says you should have some tea after breakfast so you heal faster...not like you need it. Kamikaze shattered the day you went nuts so don't expect to hear or see him anymore. We'll play some soccer later," Jinta listed, "go to the arcade, then come back here and tell them everything. You can't run away this time, and you can't suck the air out of people's lungs to make their memories fuzzy, so you're gonna have to tell the truth this time."

"All right, all right I'll do it all." She sighed.

"Good, 'cuz you can't keep it from the world forever. Now hurry up and drink, Tenshou said I've got some work to do so I'm _not_ sitting around all day. Hey Hitsugaya, you help her out; Kurosaki I might need your help with something." Jinta listed.

"What? I want to—" Ichigo protested.

"Stop being so overprotective and get over yourself. We're in high school," Jinta griped, "we slay Hollows and Arrancar all the time, and she even fends off thugs who try stealing from stores in the underground mall. Sheesh, if you keep doing that, she'll hit you."

"Whatever." Ichigo grumbled.

"Hitsugaya, make sure to help her." Jinta stated.

"You want me to um…help you—?" Toushirou stammered.

"No, I've got it." She murmured.

"Kurosaki, you can barely hold that cup. Your hand is shaking so I highly doubt you'll be able to hold that spoon. I _asked_ as a courtesy; I was going to help you whether you wanted me to or not. F—never mind." Toushirou explained.

"Did you just have a hard time calling yourself my friend?" Karin chuckled.

"That's not funny." He muttered.

"It _is_ funny. So, now that I know the feeling's mutual, you mind helping me?" She smiled.

"I actually missed that." Toushirou thought.

"It's only natural; you saw it on a daily basis until her recent episode." Hyourinmaru mentioned.

"Here, you'll eat in slow bites." Toushirou stated.

_Later that day:_

_Urahara Shoten:_

"All right Karin; it's time to tell them the truth. _All_ of them." Jinta declared.

"Jinta-kun, it's not that easy for her to say; don't try rushing her." Ururu reprimanded.

"Wait I've got a question first." Ichigo announced.

"What?" Everyone asked.

"Karin, how did you become a Visored?" He questioned.

"I was fighting a Hollow just after you died and left for Tokyo. It looked sort of like a scorpion and I wasn't careful enough and got stung. I guess instead of poison, it injected some of its Hollow genes or DNA, whatever. After that, I started Hollowfying and had to get trained by Kensei-Sensei." She answered.

"Oh, wait—why didn't you tell me?" Ichigo yelled.

"You were all the way in Tokyo. Why the hell was I going to tell you about that when you were so far? Not to mention it took nearly a year and a half for me to Hollowfy. I guess the poison or 'Hollow genes' weren't strong enough to go through me instantly so I didn't think much of it. Now can I get this over with?" She snapped.

"Kurosaki, we've already come to the conclusion that _Kamikaze_ is _not_ your Zanpakutou. Urahara also had Shihouin-san check all the record books within Seireitei's library and did _not_ find that name in _any_ files. So, how," Toushirou divulged, "did you come to possess that Zanpakutou?"

"Before we became a real squad, there were only four of us: Ururu, Jinta, me and another person. His name was Nara Yuuji. He didn't come around the Urahara Shoten at all because he was always busy. He was sent down by Jii-Jii to watch over the town, but when Arrancar started invading, we decided to help him out. After we helped him the first time, he started hanging out with us. While we were busy at school and sports, he was out Hollow hunting. I guess he liked me or something, because he...he um...I'm gonna puke." Karin revealed before running off.

"I'll go make sure she's okay." Ururu informed.

"All right, since they'll be busy, _I'll_ say some of the rest. So Yuuji had a thing for Karin and sacrificed himself for her sake. An Arrancar had grabbed Yuzu off the street and tried using her as leverage but that was a seriously big mistake. That's when Karin's Hollow first showed up. She went ballistic and mutilated the damn thing. It was amazing that Karin could even _identify_ Yuzu, but she did. When Yuzu was finally on the ground, Karin started slicing apart each and every Hollow and Arrancar she could see. Yuuji knew she was going nuts and didn't know what she was doing so, before she could go completely nuts, he took a blow for an Arrancar." Jinta furthered.

"Yea, that—that wasn't the best of my days." Karin whispered as she reappeared.

"Kurosaki-chan, you may tell us—" Kisuke began.

"No, it's better to get this done with today. So, Yuuji took the blow…it was bad. I went to de—I—I went to decapitate the Hollow and he took the blow. He stabbed me before I could swing my sword but he still—I—he—I didn't mean to. I didn't mean to, but he wanted to stop me from going nuts. His stab stopped me from moving but, him—me—when I—when I decapitated _him_, my mask shattered and drove Harin away. He died…he died because—he—I—because _I_ killed him. Even though _Harin_ swung my sword, _I_ let her take over." Karin cut across.

"It's okay Karin-chan, no one blames you. We don't blame you at all, and I'm sure he didn't either." Ururu consoled.

"You guys should, it was my fault." Karin muttered.

"That still—" Ichigo started.

Suddenly Karin flew through the opposite wall. Boards and screens were broken, pottery and tables shattered and overturned, and clothes torn. Everyone sat, mouths agape, staring at Jinta's outstretched fist and his quickly rising reiatsu.

"Hanakari, you may be—!" Toushirou shouted.

"Shut the fuck up! What the _fuck_ do you mean: 'you guys _should_'?" Jinta growled.

"Jinta-kun, that's too far!" Ururu yelled.

Instead of an angry growl or yell, he rushed forward and grabbed Karin. He swung her around and threw her through another wall, before following up with an elbow to the stomach. Unlike their usual battles, this was no simple feud between friendly rivals; _this_ was a _true_ battle between two Shinigami. He stalked over, pushing past Ururu—he actually knocked her over and pushed Ichigo out of his way—he reached Karin and grabbed her by her collar, slamming her against an unbroken wall.

"What the fuck do you mean: 'you guys should'?" He repeated.

"Hanakari, you may be angry with her comment, but that is _no_ way to deal with this situation!" Toushirou yelled.

"Get your hands off my sister!" Ichigo roared.

"Jinta-kun, I too believe this has gone far enough." Kisuke snapped.

"I don't _care_ what any of you think! She's _my_ best friend, not _yours_ and I'll do what I want if it means getting her back to the way she's _supposed_ to be! None of you guys," Jinta screeched, "not even _Ururu_ were there to see the aftermath. None of _you guys_ saw the bandages on her wrists and arms, none of you were there to stop her from committing suicide, _none_ of you were there to make sure she ate were you? _No_ you weren't because you didn't know! Best friends _know_ when there's something up and _none_ of you noticed! You two were in Soul Society, and she convinced you four (Ururu, Kisuke, Tessai, and Yoruichi) that it was a new style she was trying out to look tougher! You guys didn't see what I did so don't _tell_ me I'm taking this too far!"

There was utter silence within the room. No one uttered a word, there breathing was just barely audible, and it was nearly impossible to tell if they were still alive. They all sat, stiff as boards, shocked by the new information.

"It wasn't your fault! Just because it was _your_ Zanpakutou, in _your_ hands, doesn't mean it was _you_! You already _know_ she had taken over so it's _her_ fault. Nobody even _knew_ you were slowly Hollowfying over that year so don't think it's all _your_ fault. He died because he thought it'd be better for _you_ to live. He didn't want you to live just to brood over killing him. Sure, does it hurt, yea, I know it does, but that doesn't mean you have to think about it every five seconds! Just because it was _your_ sword, doesn't mean _you_ did it! Yes it hurts, I know that Karin, I _know_, but…does that mean _you_ need to die too?" He ranted, falling to his knees at the end.

"Please Karin, if you go too, who else is gonna be left?" He whispered.

"You're an ass you know that. You're always taking me on guilt trips, throwing me through walls, fighting me over lots of stupid things but…thanks." Karin coughed.

"Good, so this means you're not slitting your wrists again?" He questioned hopefully.

"Yea, I'll make sure the flesh stays together and my wrists aren't covered over in bandages." She smiled wearily.

"Good, 'cuz if I find out that you _are_ slitting your wrists, I'll put you in a coma." He threatened.

"I wouldn't expect any less." She smirked.

"There's the Karin smirk. If you've got _that_ on, then I guess you're back to normal." He sighed in relief.

"Why didn't any of us _notice_ that Kamikaze wasn't your Zanpakutou?" Kisuke questioned.

"I used one of his more secret abilities. Kamikaze had _all_ of the wind and air at his fingertips so he and I could manipulate it just about any way we wanted. So, when I changed blades, I sucked the oxygen or reishi from your lungs and made your memories of my _real_ Zanpakutou sort of fuzzy. I bought a black blade just in case your memories returned and you remembered what my original blade looks like." Karin revealed.

"I don't even remember you doing that." Yoruichi scoffed.

"Of course not, I made it so that the lack of oxygen would make you pass out. After that, I just used the memory changer…eraser…something…and played with your memories a bit." Karin furthered.

"Now that you no longer have Kamikaze, what will you fight with? Surely your _true_ Zanpakutou is angered for being stuffed away for…" Toushirou trailed off.

"What? What are you staring at?" Karin inquired.

"That's impossible." Toushirou gasped.

"Uh, all right let's go with that. Anyways, back to the topic." Karin resumed.

"What's wrong with you?" Jinta asked Toushirou.

"Nothing, I just thought of the way Kurosaki might have gotten her Zanpakutou." He replied.

"Oh, please Hitsugaya-Taichou, do share." Kisuke beamed.

"It's similar to what Kuchiki Rukia did to Kurosaki Ichigo. Nara Yuuji stabbed Kurosaki to stop her from destroying everything in sight just before he died. He must have transferred his abilities to you when he did so even if he didn't mean to. His feelings may have had an influence on the way you gained control over his Zanpakutou. If I'm correct, the transfer was similar to your brother's, but you gained control due to his strong feelings and your immense guilt. Those feelings must have allowed Kamikaze to manifest itself within you. Ah," Toushirou surmised, "Kamikaze invaded your mind and soul, acting as a barrier to tame your inner Hollow as Nara Yuuji desired."

"There's one thing I'm confused about." Yoruichi stated.

"What?" Karin, Jinta, Kisuke, and Ichigo questioned.

"Why wasn't Yuuji in the record books? If he had gone to the Shino Academy, he should be in the records _somewhere_. If he obtained his Zanpakutou in the Shino—" She explained.

"Yuuji was fresh out of the Academy. He knew the name of his Zanpakutou, but he couldn't use it. _That's_ why Jii-Jii sent him down here to train. Well, more like he was admitted into a squad then sent down here to slay Hollows and update Seireitei on Arrancar activity. After he met us, he started hanging around and one day he _finally_ learned how to use Kamikaze. He knew Kamikaze's name, but not the words to call out to him." Karin explained.

"So all of this happened _prior_ to Utada-san, Umemiya-san, and Fujiwara-san joining this squad?" Toushirou inquired.

"Yea, they were sent down here after Karin went—maybe I shouldn't have said that." Jinta blabbed.

"You know, it would've been nice if they didn't know that. Now we have to tell them even _more_ secrets." Karin griped.

"_I'll_ explain this time around. Besides, you've already done quite a bit of talking; you just woke up today so there's no need to strain yourself. Now then, _I'll_ be the one to explain." Kisuke offered.

"Wait, so Umemiya, Utada, and Fujiwara are _souls_? So how do they have families and go to school? This makes no sense!" Ichigo yelled.

"Shut up so Kisuke can explain to you. I'm going to take a nap; I know the rest of this story." Yoruichi snapped.

"Utada-san, Umemiya-san," Kisuke divulged, "and Fujiwara-san are _all_ from Soul Society. Yamamoto-Soutaichou _sent_ them here to watch Kurosaki-chan after that incident. Those three were fresh out of the Academy. They weren't very good, but they got better with Karin-chan's extreme training. They weren't given seat numbers because they weren't good enough, even _with_ training, to be seated officers unlike these three. In truth, this isn't a squad just—the squad's _actual_ name is—"

"We're called: _The External Affairs_. We're not really a squad, but we had to give ourselves a name because everything was a top-secret operation. We're called _The External Affairs_ because we do things you guys don't. You guys aren't as close to Hueco Mundo as we—well you guys don't have tactics or the means to get there as frequently and as fast as we do. Utada, Umemiya, and Fujiwara were all sent down here to be _trained_. They were _nobodies_ in Soul Society so they were perfect for the position. Yamamoto-Soutaichou sent them down here to understand a Gargantua, how Hueco Mundo works, what else besides Hollows and Arrancar might live there, and a few other things relating to Hueco Mundo and the World of the Living. _That's_ why you guys have no authority down here; you guys don't have authority down here because you're not _trained_ to do what we do." Jinta interrupted.

"So you guys are basically some team of spies training us in other things besides the stuff everyone learns in the Shino Academy? Hmm, I didn't think Jii-Jii would ever try pulling something like—how did he even come up with that plan?" Ichigo interrogated.

"I spoke with him about Kurosaki-chan's incident with her inner Hollow. Although she was being trained and taken care of by the Visored, I still thought we might need some backup. He sent those three down, but they weren't of much help in general. Kurosaki-chan here made sure they trained hard enough to become the equivalent of a full-fledged Shinigami in Soul Society. In all honesty, you two were sent down here more to test _their_ abilities than these three. If those three passed, then they would be pulled back and Kurosaki-chan would be allowed to be free from watch. Unfortunately, they never got a chance to return home. So, in short, almost everything about this squad is a lie." Kisuke explained.

"Why would Jii-Jii even try doing this? Karin's not much of a problem just because she's a Visored is she? That makes no sense; why would he put together this seriously elaborate plan _just_ to watch over Karin?" Ichigo quizzed.

"It was to retrieve information about Karakura Town and—Nara Yuuji must have reported his findings prior to him being killed. He must have reported that the number of Hollows and Arrancar were increasing, giving Yamamoto-Soutaichou reason to believe Karakura Town and Soul Society were endangered. After Nara Yuuji was killed, Urahara spoke with Yamamoto-Soutaichou and together they came up with a plan to watch Kurosaki. Although it started out as that, Kurosaki took it to a different level. She trained those three and increased their skills by ten-fold. Yamamoto-Soutaichou must have—I see." Toushirou rambled.

"So, you've figured it all out yet?" Karin smirked.

"Yes, I believe I have." He replied.

"Then let's hear it." Jinta grinned.

"In short, Nara Yuuji reported an increase in Hollows and Arrancar in the area; unfortunately Nara Yuuji was killed before he could add any further findings. After Yamamoto-Soutaichou found out about you three and the death of Nara Yuuji, he wanted to ensure that Karakura Town would be kept safe and lower the amount of threats within the town. I can't say why or how adding three more Shinigami to your trio factors in, but I'm almost positive it had something to do with educating them on the World of the Living and Hueco Mundo. As you said before, those sent down here are to be taught and trained in a different way than the Shino Academy." Toushirou concluded.

"Yes, that's everything we are. We basically um, well we teach Shinigami about here and Hueco Mundo better than you guys can in Soul Society. It's different when you _go_ to Hueco Mundo than when you hear and _read_ about it from a book. The whole adjusting to down here, we're not really too sure ourselves, but the other part you got right." Jinta confirmed.

"How did _you_ two become Shinigami?" Ichigo asked.

"We died." Ururu answered.

"But you're standing there and feel completely alive." He drawled.

"Yea, that's because we usually wear our Gigai all the time. When we died," Jinta revealed, "we didn't pass on because we didn't want to leave Tenshou and the shop. We begged him to let us stay and he turned us into Shinigami the same way Karin did, but we didn't become a Visored because we were already dead."

"Yea, it was pretty gruesome that day. I still remember Yuzu screaming and crying." Karin mentioned.

"You messed with Yuzu's _memory_?" Ichigo exclaimed.

"It was for the better Ichi-nii. You should have seen her…it was…she didn't leave her room for two weeks. I finally busted down the door and found her nearly starved to death and so pale I thought she really _was_ dead. I _had_ to mess with her memory if that mean getting back Yuzu." Karin admitted.

"Oh…um…I'm sorry I wasn't there." He mumbled.

"That's not your fault. You were already dead and in Soul Society when it happened; it was already my responsibility to take care of Yuzu. It's Jinta's job to keep her happy, but it's _my_ job to keep her as _Yuzu_." Karin consoled.

"There is one more thing I'd like to know." Toushirou voiced.

"Ho, I have a question too." Kisuke piped.

"Tenshou, dinner is ready." Tessai informed.

"Ah thank you Tessai-san, I'm sure everyone will be staying for dinner tonight. If you would be so kind, I'd dearly appreciate if you prepare some plates for our guests." Kisuke smiled.

"Of course Tenshou," Tessai stated, "I shall get on that right away."

"What do you guys want to ask?" Karin questioned.

"What is the name of your Zanpakutou?" Kisuke and Toushirou asked in unison.

"Oh, it's…it's…it's name is…why can't I remember? I feel like I want to say it, but I _can't_. I…I don't even remember what it looks like. Why the hell—my head hu…" Karin trailed off.

Her vision blurred and eyes watered; her face felt flushed and breath came out in short labored puffs; she felt a migraine creeping into her mind and a large amount of pressure being exerted upon her body. She fell to the floor, no longer able to resist the pressure, and was claimed by a realm of darkness.

* * *

><p><strong>AUTHOR'S NOTES &amp; TRANSLATIONS (AGAIN):<strong>

1) Great Spirit Book Gallery; underground library in Central 46. Hard to access & contains all knowledge and history of Soul Society (thank you bleach wiki)

As usual, I thank _Everyone_ who took the time to read/review this chapter of _The Substitute Squad Captain_. *Bows in Appreciation*

**PLEASE REVIEW!**

~sayo-chan

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	14. The Black Blade

**I DO NOT OWN BLEACH: ALL CREDIT GOES TO KUBO-SAMA FOR HIS BRILLIANCE & CHARACTERS.** I appreciate the time everyone takes to read this fanfic. *Bows in Appreciation* I do want to apologize to all my readers for such a late update. *Vigorously Bows in Apology* Schoolwork, college prep, essays, and life has been eating my freetime. I apologize once more for such a late update.

**I SHALL BE CHANGING THE NAME OF THIS STORY TO: CAPTAIN OF THE ****EX-AFFAIRS! I REPEAT: CAPTAIN OF THE EX-AFFAIRS!**

****This change shall take place in the next chapter; please be aware of this change.****

**PLEASE REVIEW!**

**AUTHOR'S NOTES & TRANSLATIONS:**

1) Speed Up, Ace

2) 50°F/10°C

**ZANPAKUTOU NAMES (SUBSTITUTE SQUAD ONLY):**

1) Hanakari Jinta: Kozoku ka, Eesu (Speed Up, Ace)

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><p><strong>The Substitute Squad Captain<strong>

_Recap:_

"_Now that you no longer have Kamikaze, what will you fight with? Surely your true Zanpakutou is angered for being stuffed away for…" Toushirou trailed off._

"_What? What are you staring at?" Karin inquired._

"_That's impossible." Toushirou gasped._

"_In short, Nara Yuuji reported an increase in Hollows and Arrancar in the area; unfortunately Nara Yuuji was killed before he could add any further findings. After Yamamoto-Soutaichou found out about you three and the death of Nara Yuuji, he wanted to ensure that Karakura Town would be kept safe and lower the amount of threats within the town. I can't say why or how adding three more Shinigami to your trio factors in, but I'm almost positive it had something to do with educating them on the World of the Living and Hueco Mundo. As you said before, those sent down here are to be taught and trained in a different way than the Shino Academy." Toushirou concluded._

"_What is the name of your Zanpakutou?" Kisuke and Toushirou asked in unison._

"_Oh, it's…it's…its name is…why can't I remember? I feel like I want to say it, but I can't. I…I don't even remember what it looks like. Why the hell—my head hu…" Karin trailed off._

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><p><em><span>The Black Blade:<span>_

_External Affairs HQ:_

"All right, so _this_ is where we _really_ operate. Say hello to External Affairs HQ." Jinta boomed.

"Wow, you guys made this place?" Ichigo gasped.

"Not really, the building was here already, but for some reason, no one comes here. It's set away from the main roads and away from most of the population but, we can track Hollows from the other room. Come on, there's more than just this entrance hall." Jinta answered.

"We have a lab, or rather data room as we like to call it. We have one office, but Karin-chan's the only one who really goes there. There's a Dojo, but it's small compared to the one at old HQ." Ururu added.

"Hmm, I don't remember your Dojo being so small. I'll go check the size while you're showing them around." Kisuke informed.

"I'd like to report this to the Soutaichou; is there a com—?" Toushirou began.

"The communication devices are in the data room. We've got the big screen," Jinta cut across, "our laptops for homework, and the tracking system all set up in there. Why would we call it the "data room" if it wasn't full of technology?"

"Wow, this is like a bunch of divisions put together." Ichigo remarked.

"Yes, that's the way Karin-chan and Jinta-kun's friend designed it." Ururu mentioned.

"Does this friend know about Shinigami, Hollows, and the like?" Toushirou questioned.

"Yea, but he's not in the business of slaying them unless they're chasing after him. He doesn't have much reiatsu, but it's high enough to see Hollows, Arrancar, and us. He comes here to hang with us sometimes, but that's pretty rare." Jinta replied.

"Whoa, this is a _really_ cool room. It's like the Twelfth Division, but less creepy and weird. Do you guys have some secret 'chill out room' too?" Ichigo laughed.

"Yea we do actually." Jinta stated.

"I was just joking around you know." Ichigo said.

"Yea, but I'm not lying. That's next to the Dojo. You have to scan your hand to get into that room too. Actually, the Dojo is the _only_ room you _don't_ have to scan your hand to get into." Jinta revealed.

"So, for every room in—_that's_ why you had to scan your hand to get into Karin's office and this place. You want everything secure and locked down right?" Ichigo smirked.

"Yea, we don't need people getting into here one day while we're gone and screw everything up. Tenshou designed these hand analyzers after he got the idea from a show." Jinta retorted.

"Humans aren't the _only_ ones you're preventing from getting in though. You've also designed these rooms as such to prevent from Arrancar and other enemies from retrieving sensitive and top-secret information, correct?" Toushirou inquired.

"Yes, Karin-chan thought about all that along with Hitoshi-kun." Ururu confirmed.

"All right, it's off to the Dojo with us. Hitsugaya-Taichou, the TV over there links directly to Yamamoto-Soutaichou. That switch over there turns it on and off." Jinta informed.

"Thank you Hanakari." Toushirou said.

_Data Room Conversation:_

"Hitsugaya-Taichou, this is a very early report. Have you gathered information on something?" Yamamoto asked.

"Kurosaki-Taichou and I now know the _true_ purpose and function of this group stationed here in Karakura Town; Kurosaki Karin and Hanakari Jinta revealed the truth after Kurosaki Karin's episode. We have signed a document provided by Kurosaki Karin that we will not and shall not speak of this _ever_ again. If you wish to punish anyone, please punish Kurosaki-Taichou and I; we demanded to be told the truth no matter how we were to get answers. But that is not what I'm here to report." Toushirou revealed.

"Hitsugaya-Taichou, the more time you spend down in the World of the Living, the more secrets you uncover and the more missions you compromise, is there some reason for that?" Yamamoto questioned.

"No Sir, I merely get ahead of myself and try to uncover the truth in rather cloudy situations." Toushirou stated.

"Very well, then I shall order Kurosaki Karin to send me this document in a sealed and locked envelope. Now then, you said you have something to report?" Yamamoto sighed.

"Yes. There has been a dramatic decrease in Arrancar activity as of late. After the assassination of Utada Hideaki," Toushirou reported, "Umemiya Kasumi, and Fujiwara Etsuko, the number of Arrancar have decreased. I'm sure this also relates to severing the connection between Kurosaki Karin and Kamikaze, but Urahara said to be prepared for the worst at all times. We also learned that Kamikaze is not Kurosaki Karin's Zanpakutou, but rather one she obtained out of guilt and regret."

"If that is not her _true_ Zanpakutou, then how did she come to possess it? Was there a _reason_ other than feeling guilty and regretful? Surely something prompted those emotions enough for her to obtain a _different_ Zanpakutou other than her own." Yamamoto quizzed.

"Yes, she killed a Shinigami by the name of Nara Yuuji. He was a simple unseated officer just out of the Academy. He was sent down to Karakura Town to watch over the area, but was killed when Kurosaki Karin's inner Hollow overpowered her mind. Nara Yuuji stabbed Kurosaki and transferred, at least that is what we all speculate, his abilities to her. The regret and guilt must have created a barrier between her and her Zanpakutou; she chose to cling to the only memory of Nara Yuuji: Kamikaze. It is assumed that she learned to wield Kamikaze and neglected her _own_ Zanpakutou. Unfortunately, she cannot recall the name and command of her own Zanpakutou and we believe it is due to her Zanpakutou denying her itself or she simply _cannot_ remember." Toushirou continued.

"Hmm, this is a grave matter and a definite problem. If she is awake and fully functioning, then she is to be sent to the Shino Academy immediately. She has a vast amount of knowledge regarding Hueco Mundo and the activity of Jun Kii Ban; we cannot afford to lose her due to lack of protection." Yamamoto dictated.

"Yes Sir, I shall inform her of your decision. What shall I do if she resists?" Toushirou inquired.

"You are to bind her and forcibly bring her here. We will deal with further details when she is brought here, whether by force or not." Yamamoto answered.

"Yes Sir." Toushirou replied.

"If that is all, then continue to watch her, she is too valuable an asset to lose." Yamamoto ordered before disappearing from the screen.

"Karin's not going to like leaving Yuzu behind you know." A voice mentioned.

"Hanakari, how long were you standing there?" Toushirou asked.

"Probably about the time you started talking about Utada, Ume, and Fuji. I heard their names and wanted to know why you were talking about them to Yamamoto-Soutaichou when he already knows what happened." Jinta retorted.

"It is not only _rude_ but unprofessional to sit and eavesdrop upon one's conversations with superiors." Toushirou snarled.

"Yea I know, but I don't really care. Remember, you have no authority down here so you can't really make me do too much." Jinta grinned cheekily.

"If and when you go to Soul Society, I shall make sure to return all these little _favors_ you keep doing me." Toushirou growled.

"Thanks, favors are always good. I could use some help sometimes…but you need it even more than _I_ do." Jinta snickered.

"What exactly do you mean by that?" Toushirou asked.

"Nothing, nothing just forget it. If you can't figure it out just by that, then I have no reason to tell you. It's up to you to find out what I mean. Come on, tour's over and we're all hungry so let's move." Jinta rambled.

"Hanakari, I asked what you meant by that comment just now." Toushirou snapped.

"And _I_ said I'm not telling you. Like I said, you have no authority down here so don't think you can order me around like the subordinates you have up in Soul Society." Jinta growled.

"Jinta-kun did you find—oh Hitsugaya-Taichou did you find the communication device to be useful? Were you able to contact Yamamoto-Soutaichou without any complications?" Ururu interrogated.

"Yes, it worked very well. I was able to report to him very clearly, thank you." Toushirou replied.

"Oh good, I'm glad. Please follow me, we're going to leave here for dinner; we can make room for you at our table if you wish." Ururu offered.

"No thank you, I shall eat where I am staying, but thank you for the offer." Toushirou declined.

"You're very welcome Sir." Ururu smiled.

_Grandma Haru's House:_

"Welcome back Tou-chan. Did you fight any monsters today? Or help any other souls pass on?" Grandma Haru greeted.

"Hello there Grandma Haru, thank you again for letting me stay. As for the monsters, their activity has decreased as of late so you needn't worry about many attacks. One of my colleagues helped three souls pass on, but no more than that. I was busy with other things; unfortunately I cannot disclose that information at the time." Toushirou answered.

"At least you did not have to fight very much. Now then, what would you like for dinner?" Grandma Haru smiled.

"It seems that you were preparing some noodles already. I'll help with the rest; you may pick whatever you'd like to make." Toushirou replied.

"Oh yes, is Karin-chan feeling any better? Her sister said she's currently bedridden. I sent her off with some tea and soup, but she hasn't returned to tell me if it helped. Have you seen her recently?" Grandma Haru quizzed.

"I haven't seen her recently. I will be going to see her tomorrow though; I've heard that she can move some, but her muscles are tired and she doesn't remember much." Toushirou lied.

"That's terrible. Poor," Grandma Haru sighed, "Yuzu-chan has no idea what caused this and neither does her father."

"I don't think any of us are quite sure what brought this on, but I'm sure it will pass in due time." Toushirou comforted.

"I hope so Tou-chan, I hope so. Now then, would you care to help me with dinner?" Grandma Haru smiled.

"Of course, it's immoral to let you do all the work. Besides, I get more experience with cooking when I help." He chuckled.

"It's good to see that you can still laugh once in a while. You haven't been smirking or smiling since Karin-chan became sick. Tou-chan, if you keep worrying about her, you yourself will become just as sick. I doubt Karin-chan wants you to get sick from worrying about her. She will get better in due time. Come now, let's make some dinner." Grandma lectured.

"What she says is true Master. You were sent to Fourth Division after you stopped eating and sleeping after Matsumoto-san was sent to the psychiatric ward along with Hinamori-san. They may be close to you, but the relationship and feelings you harbor towards Kurosaki-san are different; you _will_ end up in a disheveled state even more so than in Soul Society." Hyourinmaru input.

"I know," Toushirou replied, "I shall try to refrain from worrying too much. The one thing I _am_ worried about is the disappearance of Shin-san. He not only disappeared from Kurosaki's office, but he has completely disappeared from this world. There is no, absolutely, _no_ trace of his reiatsu anywhere I have searched. I have scoured the entire town and _still_ I have yet to find him."

"Then rest and stop this search. If he really _is_ that interested and amused by you, then he shall seek _you_ out in due time. Please Master, in this time of loss and grief, it is best to relax and comfort those around you. There is no reason to leave those who are hurting simply to increase your own gains and continue this quest for Shin-san. For all you know he could have simply been erased from existence." Hyourinmaru suggested.

"Wait, what did you say?" Toushirou asked.

"He may have been erased from existence." Hyourinmaru repeated.

"Then that might serve…we need to return to both of Kurosaki's offices." Toushirou stated.

"Master, I don't think infiltrating the second base of operations will be as easy as it will the first." Hyourinmaru warned.

"That is not the issue here Hyourinmaru, what _is_ the issue is that I believe Kurosaki is hiding something more. I believe that _Hanakari_ might be in on it, but he happens to know more about the situation than Kurosaki at this moment. I need to find out all that I can about Shin-san and see if he and Hanakari are linked somehow. I know he and Kurosaki are linked, but I'm not sure about him and Hanakari." Toushirou explained.

"If that is what you choose. But Master, how will you enter Kurosaki-san's office? You need her exact handprint to enter. It is designed _specifically_ to _prevent_ an enemy or snooper from intruding and gathering sensitive information." Hyourinmaru questioned.

"If you want something, and no one is willing to _give_ it to you, then all you must do is fight." Toushirou recited.

"I do not condone you taking up Kurosaki-san's way of thinking for such a situation." Hyourinmaru sighed.

"I know, but it's the only way of justifying my actions at this point. In all honesty, I'm not even doing this for the sake of Soul Society; this is simply for my own gains…it is merely curiosity." Toushirou admitted.

"Then I shan't stop you in this quest. I can only say that it shall be best to take extreme caution while infiltrating Kurosaki's second office." Hyourinmaru sighed.

_SSC HQ:_

_Karin's Office:_

"Shin-san said that these two keys open up a file cabinet. So far, there are no file cabinets within the area that haven't been destroyed or set ablaze by that Arrancar's Zanpakutou. We know that Shin-san disappeared after this office was destroyed, but only after Kurosaki's inner Hollow took over. After Kurosaki's inner Hollow…" Toushirou surmised.

"Master, how have you come to that conclusion when there is still no hard evidence?" Hyourinmaru asked.

"The timeframe coincides with the chain of events." He answered.

"I'm not following." Hyourinmaru admitted.

"Neither am I. I need to get into Kurosaki's second office to find out just what _other_, more _sensitive_ secrets she and Hanakari may be hiding underneath the first layer of lies." Toushirou replied.

_External Affairs HQ:_

"I was unable to find anything relating to Shin-san or a filing cabinet amidst the rubble, so these two keys must open up _some_ sort of filing cabinet within Kurosaki's office. As to what I shall find within, and where this cabinet is located…that is still unanswered." Toushirou rambled.

"Master, this security system is much more complex than those in Soul Society. I understand that you are going to use any means necessary, but what if you cannot use any other means?" Hyourinmaru inquired.

"Then I shall simply return tomorrow and request that I be allowed into Kurosaki's office." He snorted.

"You have no authority down here and Hanakari-san already challenges you enough. I highly doubt he would allow you to enter." Hyourinmaru scoffed.

"Then I shall simply ask Tsumugiya-san." Toushirou stated.

"I wouldn't count on Tsumugiya-san either. She may not suspect you of anything unlike Hanakari-san, but she might ask _why_ you are requesting to enter despite you not having any true reason." Hyourinmaru input.

"Hmm," Toushirou plotted, "then I shall simply have Urahara take me through this area and explain the functions and workings of this system. If I know how this system operates other than using handprint analysis and having reiatsu logged into this system, I might be able to enter her office without many problems."

"Yes but how will you—?" Hyourinmaru started.

"It does not matter how I will enter her office does it? I am simply here to find information on Shin-san and to see if Kurosaki is hiding any more secrets. Shin-san is more important at the moment; I _need_ to confirm my hypothesis before I take her to Soul Society with us." Toushirou cut across.

"You believe _he_ is Kurosaki's Zanpakutou based on the timeframe, his opinions, and responses to certain questions? Master just that is not enough to base a hypothesis on is it?" Hyourinmaru quizzed.

"Yes it is based on the timeframe. Hyourinmaru, go over all events relating to Kurosaki that coincide with our meetings with Shin-san." Toushirou said.

"Yes, but what do they have to do with this timeframe? No," Hyourinmaru listed, "I see. Shin-san spoke with us after Kurosaki was placed in a sedative coma by Urahara. He most likely did _not_ have the ability to speak prior to Kurosaki being placed in said coma. The last day we spoke with him was the day Kurosaki's inner Hollow overtook her mind and even then he seemed worried about her, despite his resentment towards her. Ah, the most implicating detail is Kamikaze is it not?"

"Precisely, Shin-san disappeared _completely_ only _after_ Kamikaze shattered and his connection with Kurosaki was _severed_." Toushirou concluded.

"You believe she sealed him off from her _mind_, but he was still allowed to take a physical form because the psychological barrier only prevented him from entering her mind?" Hyourinmaru questioned.

"Yes, if you think about it, it makes sense. There is not enough room for one person to have _two_ Zanpakutou within their mind so _one_ of the two must be exiled. Shin-san was exiled while Kamikaze was allowed to stay. Shin-san must have resented Kamikaze, but understood Kurosaki's reasoning for a short period of time. I assume that she feared her own blade after killing Nara Yuuji. Shin-san—" Toushirou explained.

"Why are you here?" A voice asked.

"Hanakari, why are y—?" Toushirou began.

"The security system alerts us whenever someone comes in at night if they're not registered into the system. _I'm_ registered into the system, but _you're_ not. There's no reason for you to be here; you're not part of Ex-Affairs so you shouldn't be here. So, it makes me wonder: _why_ are you here? Looks like you're looking for something." Jinta cut across.

"I'm looking for a friend that vanished once all your division members were assassinated. I was checking to see if they had fled to here." Toushirou snapped.

"Why would a spirit come _here_? Not many spirits know about this place. Hell, even most _Shinigami_ don't know about this place. So why would your 'friend' be _here_? This system," Jinta rambled," puts up a barrier during the day and an even stronger one at night. It prevents _anyone_ not logged into the system from getting in. Well, anyone not of a _Captain-class_ that is."

"I didn't _say_ it was a spirit did I?" Toushirou snarled.

"No, you didn't, but you don't have any human friends do you? And since you're sworn to secrecy by our documents and most likely Yamamoto-Soutaichou, you haven't told anyone about this place. Plus, a _human_ wouldn't be able to hide in her office without her noticing." Jinta reminded.

"Damn him, he's _much_ more perceptive than people credit him for. No wonder he's Kurosaki's right-hand man. I see; he makes himself _seem_ unintelligent so enemies underestimate him. Well played Hanakari Jinta," Toushirou thought, "well played."

"Thanks, no one's complimented me on my strategy besides a few dead Arrancar." Jinta smirked.

"Did I say that aloud? I apologize; I didn't want you to see that as a compliment." Toushirou snapped.

"You're an ass you know that. Get out of here now, you're not supposed to be and you're not _authorized_ to be here. Get out before the system kicks in." Jinta ordered.

"I don't follow your orders." Toushirou growled.

"You don't, but while we're in here, _I_ have seniority. I outrank you while you're down here in Karakura Town. I don't have to obey you, but it doesn't work the other way around. Get out of here, or I'll make sure to keep the system on every single night. I'll make it search for _your_ reiatsu and for it to attack you if you get too close to here. Trust me, we've tested it out and it works pretty well." Jinta threatened.

"I am _not_ leaving until I have searched the premises for that missing person." Toushirou declared.

"You won't find him here so leave. He knows it's dangerous to be here so he wouldn't come here." Jinta revealed.

"How do _you_ know who I'm looking for?" Toushirou marveled.

"Remember, _I_ was there when she got her Zanpakutou, not you. I know its name and command, but she can't and won't remember until she's ready again. So quit snooping, you won't find anything here." Jinta answered.

"So then my guess was correct, he _is _a different 's his name and command? Surely _Shin-san_ isn't his name." Toushirou questioned.

"I can't and won't tell you that until _she_ learns it. Sorry," Jinta retorted, "but leave _her_ that right. He's _her_ Zanpakutou, not yours, and not mine. We know him, but he's not ours; you get what I mean?"

"Yes, I too will agree that it is _her_ right to know his name and command before I do. Tell me though, why do _you_ remember, yet Kurosaki cannot?" Toushirou inquired.

"He wants to make sure at least _one_ person remembers his existence. Tenshou, Tessai, and Yoruichi-san don't remember because _Karin_ messed with their memories, not him. He can't erase their memories because there's nothing _to_ erase. I don't know if Ururu remembers, but I don't think she was there when Karin finally got in touch with him." Jinta explained.

"Hmm, then I shall return to my lodging. Goodnight Hanakari Jinta." Toushirou dismissed.

_Four Nights Later:_

"Master, didn't Hanakari-san say we would not find Shin-san here?" Hyourinmaru asked.

"Yes, but that's not why I'm here remember? I'm here to see if Kurosaki has any _other_ secrets. I feel like she's hiding more than she's revealed. If you remember, we only know that Utada Hideaki, Fujiwara Etsuko, and Umemiya Kasumi were from Soul Society because Hanakari let it slip out. From that, I've speculated that she or _all_ of them may be hiding more. Whether or not Hanakari knows about this, I'm not sure. Whatever she may or may not be hiding, it is up to me to find out. Kurosaki is too busy worrying about his sister to try tackling this operation. I shall only be—" Toushirou explained.

"So, you came back even though I told you to keep away from here huh? Well, as a member of _Ex-Affairs_, it's my job to keep our secrets sealed away from prying eyes. If you're not here for Shin, then you're here for something else, and that's probably anymore secrets we may or may not be hiding. If you're gonna keep trying to break _in_, I've got no choice but to keep you _out_." A voice said, breaking his train of thought.

"Hanakari…you were _expecting_ me?" Toushirou hissed.

"Yea, I already knew you were here for something else. You were trying to get into Karin's office that day. Just because Shin hid in her other office, doesn't mean he'll be here too. I already told you it's dangerous to be here, so he wouldn't come here. You waited a few days, thinking I'd be okay with just telling you who Shin was. Get real; I've been here every night since that night. You're a genius I heard, it doesn't take long for you to think of other things. So, leave or I'll _make_ you leave." Jinta revealed.

"Are you threatening me, Hanakari Jinta?" Toushirou growled.

"Yea, I _am_. If you don't like it, then leave." He stated.

"I cannot." Toushirou snorted.

"Then I guess I'll just have to _force_ you out." Jinta sighed.

"Consider this your examination, except…you won't be getting a grade." Toushirou snarled as he unsheathed Hyourinmaru.

"Kozoku ka, Eesu (1)." Jinta called.

"Souten ni Zase, Hyourinmaru." Toushirou called.

Fire met ice and ice met fire. A large explosion broke the front windows and shattered the lighting above. The pair danced about the dark room, exchanging blow for blow, attack for attack, and injury for injury. Toushirou tried freezing Jinta's entire person, but the redhead simply melted it by raising his body heat. Jinta attempted to burn Toushirou and succeeded, but the pain didn't last long; the ice-wielder simply cooled the burn by lowering his body heat (2). Knowing their attacks would simply counter each other, Toushirou turned to more drastic measures: he resolved to use his Bankai.

"Bankai, Daiguren Hyourinmaru." He called.

"Heh, that doesn't work in here. If you're an Arrancar it does, but if an unregistered Shinigami tries to harm a _registered_ Shinigami with Bankai, the system nullifies it." Jinta divulged.

"I—Impossible!" Toushirou shouted.

His mind was too busy trying to make sense of Jinta's claims to notice Jinta's incoming strike. Toushirou flew through a wall and crashed into another room—meditation room. He stood up, dusting the dirt and grit from his hair and body, before parrying with Jinta's Kanabo. The two continued to dance about the room, still exchanging blow for blow until they returned to the front hall. Toushirou had forced Jinta back, sending him through another hole in the wall and soon after, into an adjacent room. Toushirou sliced open the flesh on Jinta's back before he was burned with searing flames.

"Heh, looks like we won't get anywhere. I'll burn you, you'll freeze me. I burn you, you just cool down. You freeze me, I just heat up. How long do you think this 'exam' will be?" Jinta taunted.

"I don't think it matters at this point. I shouldn't have called it an 'examination' to begin with. This is anything _but_ an examination." Toushirou snarled.

"Well, you're the one who said it. Not my fault we're not making any progress. You're stronger, but the system makes you weaker. I'm weaker, but the system makes me stronger." Jinta snickered.

"Do you find this to be a _game_ Hanakari?" Toushirou yelled.

"Not really, but I can't take this too seriously. You're a Captain, so I should be toast by now, but I'm not. If you think about it, I'm only winning because the system's helping me out." Jinta explained.

"Then I'll just have to go _beyond_ this system." Toushirou scoffed.

"That's not—" Jinta began.

"Hadou #73: Soren Sokatsui!" Toushirou shouted.

"Bakudou #39: Enkosen!" Jinta yelled.

"Bakudou #63: Sajo Sabaku; Bakudou #31: Shakkahou." Toushirou whispered.

"Shit, I'm screwed." Jinta spat.

His body was bound and Toushirou's Shakkahou collided with Jinta's chest. The other teen flew back and slammed into the wall, parts of the ceiling crumbling down due to impact. Jinta broke free of his binds—took way too much effort and strength—and charged at Toushirou. In turn, Toushirou charged at Jinta.

"_Getsuga Tenshou!"_ A voice shouted.

_Kurosaki Residence:_

"_Get up Karin; you can't spend __all__ of your life sleeping can you? Come on; let's see if you can handle the 'fierceness of the night'."_ A voice snickered.

_Ex-Affairs HQ:_

"Who—who the fuck—!" Jinta coughed.

"Who are you?" Toushirou snarled.

As the dust settled, there stood a shadowed figure, cloaked in black robes. A long black blade was gripped tightly in their hand, a big contrast to their loose and relaxed stance. They changed their position, stepping back a bit and into the moonlight. The darkness that once cloaked them was lifted and revealed a familiar figure.

"K—Karin…Karin what're you—you got him back huh!" Jinta cheered.

"_Heh, she hasn't gotten me back yet so don't look so happy. You, Hitsugaya, quit being a stalker. I leave her to you…__Jinta__."_ 'Karin' cut across.

"Dammit…he's gonna make it much harder than I thought. He wasn't that easy to find, and now that he's gone, he's gonna be even _harder_ to find. I hate him sometimes; he's one hell of a cocky bastard." Jinta ranted.

"Who's a cocky ba—what the hell is this? Whose sword is this? Hmm…it looks just like the one in my office; that's probably melted and shattered by now. Even though it looks like the one in my office, this one has a different engraving in it…I can't read what it says though." Karin rambled.

"Kurosaki, do you know the name of that blade?" Toushirou asked.

"Nope. I don't even know who it belongs to or how I got it. I don't even know _why_ I have it." She replied.

"Great, now Hitsugaya _knows_ Shin's Karin's Zanpakutou. Whatever, _he's_ not the problem anymore, it's Shin and Karin. If Shin's pissed at Karin, it'll take time to gain his trust and abilities again." Jinta thought.

"Does she really _have_ time?" Eesu questioned.

"What do you mean?" Jinta inquired.

"Jun knows what's wrong with Karin so she'll probably try to attack even more now that Karin's out of the game. She's already pitched curveballs and fastballs; she might be going," Eesu answered, "for something even worse this time. Jun's Aizen's biggest fan-girl so she'll probably try doing what he tried, but finish the job."

"Shit! Now things are gonna be even _worse_! I don't like going to Soul Society that creepy woman from Second Division hates me for some reason, and Yamamoto doesn't like how I hate the rules. And Kuchiki thinks I'm too 'brash' and 'rude' even though _Karin_ is just the same! Couldn't I have just been like Yuzu, unaware of Hollows and the supernatural besides what Karin tells me? Couldn't I walk around like an imbecile _without_ reiatsu?" Jinta raved.

"No, because then you and Karin wouldn't be best friends. You two bonded over seeing and killing Hollows. Besides, if you didn't have any reiatsu, you wouldn't know anyone you know right now. Remember, when you change the past, you change the present _and_ the future." Eesu lectured.

"Thanks for quoting Utada…you shot my mood even more. Whatever, I get the message. My job and life is a double-edged sword isn't it?" Jinta sighed.

"No, more like a splintery bat that hits really well." Eesu smirked.

"I guess I can live with that…I just need pretty thick gloves." Jinta grinned.

"Jinta wake up! Quit chatting with your Zanpakutou and help us with cleaning this up. You two started it; I finished it, now we three are cleaning it. Toushi and I can't do _all_ the work." Karin snapped.

"_He_ can do both my share _and_ his share. This all started because _he_ wanted to bre—" Jinta defended.

"I came to understand the security system and how it works. If I were to ask Urahara, all he would do is compliment himself and brag about his skills. I want a _real_ explanation, not nonsensical bragging." Toushirou lied.

"I apologize; I simply did not want to seem like a busybody by asking too many questions during the tour. Besides, I had to report to Yamamoto-Soutaichou." Toushirou clarified.

"What'd he wanna know?" Karin asked.

"I needed to report about the recent happenings between you, this division, and the Arrancar activity in the area." Toushirou listed.

"Yamamoto-Soutaichou wants to send you to the Shino Academy. You might want to tell Yuzu some seriously elaborate lie. Oh, and I've got a question after that." Jinta informed.

"I figured he'd want to send me there. I went ballistic again so I guess it's for the best. Oh well, I'll be able to see Renji, Ichi-nii, Yaku-nii, Rangiku, and a few other people too. Oh yea, I've gotta go see Yagami-san too. Hmm, as for Yuzu…I don't really know. Anyways, what's your question?" Karin babbled.

"You said Ichigo _died_. Did you mean separate or actually _die_ like Ururu and I did?" Jinta asked.

"Ah, I was unaware of his _true_ death as well." Toushirou added.

"He actually died…but Yuzu doesn't know that. He stuffed Kon in his body to make it look like he was still alive. We couldn't bring ourselves to tell her Ichi-nii actually died when he went to Tokyo for a college entrance exam. The train crashed in the station and he knew he was gonna die. He separated and pulled his body out before it could get too damaged. He had Urahara fix it up and stuffed Kon inside and that's where we are today. Ever wonder how my 'Ichi-nii' is sorta fake when I call Kon that?" Karin revealed.

"Now that you mention it, yea I do. Wow, I'm seriously stupid I guess. Wow, and we're supposed to be on the same frequency; I can catch so many other things, but not that. I've gotta be off my game." Jinta berated himself.

"So, his _soul_ is currently a Captain?" Toushirou inquired.

"Didn't she just say that Hitsugaya?" Jinta snorted.

"Yes, I just wanted a complete clarification. Now then," Toushirou questioned, "I've another question. How is it that your _brother_ proposed such a squad, yet you eight were already formed?"

"I'll answer that one. After Yuuji died, Yamamoto wanted to send Karin up there for training, but she refused because she didn't want to leave Yuzu alone. The Visored agreed to train her and then she got Harin under control. He left us alone for a little while after that. When Ichigo thought of forming a squad down here—" Jinta explained.

"Jii-Jii _said_ it was a good idea to keep Karakura safe, but it was actually to keep me from destroying things and losing control. I'm even more of a loose cannon compared to Ichi-nii so he was a little paranoid." Karin finished.

"Hey don't finish my sentences for me." Jinta grumbled.

"Please, we do that all the time in school. Remember how we freaked Yogi-Sensei that day?" Karin snickered.

"Yea, that was good. All right, I'm done with this pile of crap so I'm going home. Hitsugaya, make sure she gets home and then go _home_ yourself. The security _will_ be heightened so _don't_ try _exploring_ and trying to _understand_ it." Jinta announced.

"Fine, you can go home. I'm gonna stay and finish everything up. Toushi you can go too." Karin sighed.

"I'll stay to help clean the rest of this." He offered.

"No Kamika—oh yea…he's gone. Um…thanks then." She smiled weakly.

"Kurosaki, there's no need to—" Toushirou began, reaching for her shoulder.

"Quit sounding like a Sap! You're Kurosaki Karin, you're _not_ a Sap! Get over it! I got over the fact that I'm dead so get over the fact that Kamikaze is _gone_! He's _gone_ Karin and you're never getting him back. Focus on getting your _real_ Zanpakutou, not stealing someone else's. Besides, if you go to the Shino Academy moping, how're you gonna show them you can kick ass _much_ better than the Sixth Years? You can't," Jinta cut across, "show them you're better if you're crying over Kamikaze. And, you won't be able to fight Jun without your _real_ Zanpakutou; quit moping and get moving."

"I guess that's why I have you huh? All right, I'm moving; it just feels really weird without the wind moving things around for me." Karin laughed.

"That's why she has _him_? I'm standing here too…do I really mean so little to her? I know I'm not on the same level as Hanakari, but do I really mean _nothing_? I wasn't even mentioned in that list of people she wanted to see when she goes to Soul Society. She didn't list me…unless I'm included in the—there's no point in trying so hard only to reach nothing at the end." Toushirou lamented.

"Master, please be calm. I'm sure she didn't list you because she thought you would _know_ she would be visiting you regularly. You must stop being so negative about this situation. You will never progress forward if you don't _try_. I would also like to add that this may be Hanakari's way of testing you as he said that night. Did you not notice how his comment was directed towards _you_?" Hyourinmaru lectured.

"No, I did _not_ notice. I must have been too focused on Kurosaki's welfare and the strangeness of the attacks. Not to mention with the recent chaotic events, I haven't had time to contemplate or even meditate as I do usually. I'm surprised I can have such a conversation with you as it is." Toushirou rambled.

"You must remove the unnecessary thoughts from your mind. Hanakari-san's behavior, your suspicions of this entire division, and Shin-san's location are minor things, you needn't worry about them; they are not of your _direct_ concern. Kurosaki-san is what your focus should be on; her welfare and trying to improve your relationship with her should be at the forefront of your mind, not petty ideas. Your daily duties as a Captain and Kurosaki-san are what you should focus on, nothing else." Hyourinmaru listed.

"I understand, thank you Hyourinmaru." Toushirou smiled slightly.

"Toushi, what're you smiling for? Did Hyourinmaru say something funny?" Karin teased.

"I was _not_ smiling Kurosaki; I do not smile unless—" Toushirou began.

"I know, unless it's necessary. Gosh Toushi, you really need to learn to let loose a bit. Smiling doesn't kill you does it? Seeing you smile would be nice you know; I'm sure other people want to see it too." Karin interrupted.

"I _used_ to smile." He murmured.

"Why'd you stop?" She asked.

"What?" He questioned.

"You said you _used_ to smile. Why'd you stop?" She repeated.

"I'm sorry, I didn't mean for you to—" He mumbled.

"Quit with the formal speech already! You're talking to me, a friend…not some official." Karin snapped.

"I'm sorry; it's a habit as I've told you before. Anyways, I stopped when I became a Shinigami. That's all." Toushirou answered.

"Don't worry Toushi, I accept you!" She cheered.

"Kurosaki, must you be so loud this late at night?" He sighed.

"Yea, this gloomy atmosphere is suffocating me. It feels…too familiar. Anyways, since we're all done, we should go. Oh, when are we leaving for Soul Society?" She replied.

"I wonder why it feels 'familiar' as she said. That doesn't sound like something she would say…that's strange." Toushirou thought.

"Toushi, are you having a conversation with Hyourinmaru again?" Karin drawled.

"No, I was simply trying to think of an exact date. Yamamoto-Soutaichou never gave me a specific date so I was trying to find one." He lied.

"Oh, well we can go tomorrow. I've already got a good lie for Yuzu and everyone else. Besides, Goat-Chin knows what really goes on. Not to mention Kendo is out of commission since the studio burned down two days ago…damn smokers." Karin rambled.

"What exactly are you planning on telling your school? Or are you planning on leaving your body here?" Toushirou quizzed.

"Actually, that's an even _better_ idea! Wow Toushi, you seriously _are_ a genius! I'll just leave Zazuri in my body so she can keep an eye on everything down here." Karin beamed as she hugged him.

"Who is Zazuri?" He inquired, stiffly returning her hug.

"Toushi, that's _not_ what you'd call a 'hug'." She grumbled.

"I'm sorry; I'm not educated in returning another's embrace." He scoffed.

"Then just copy me." She spat.

"I'm trying, it's not easy." He snorted.

"How is returning a 'hug' _hard_? Doesn't Rangiku hug you?" Karin interrogated.

"She does but…it's more like suffocating me than actually hugging me." He admitted.

"Oh yea…I can see how that could happen. What about…never mind." Karin muttered.

"I haven't seen Hinamori in a while. She…she's worsened recently." He whispered.

"Unohana-san's taking care of her so she'll be fine. She's just having temporary regressions; she'll get over it eventually. I hate to bring this up but, your incident with Hyourinmaru…you got over that didn't you? So she'll get over Aizen. Besides, you guys have all the time in the world to live…or stay dead actually, so she'll get over it eventually." Karin assured.

"Ah, thank you. Oh, you still didn't answer my question." Toushirou said.

"What question?" Karin inquired.

"Who is Zazuri?" He repeated.

"Oh! She's my specially designed Kaizaku Konpaku." Karin beamed.

"What do you mean 'specially designed'?" He asked.

"She's exactly like me; she's pretty different from the ones you guys in Soul Society have. I had Urahara design it for me. It took a year," she explained, "but he finally did it. That's why I do some of his messenger work and getting supplies from Soul Society for him. It's payback for something seriously amazing."

"What about your bracelets and this security system?" He inquired.

"He wanted to make the security system to satisfy and test himself. The bracelets…he just wanted me to stop breaking his shop when I got angry or when I took off." Karin admitted

"Hmm, that definitely sounds like something Urahara would do. Wait…do you still have to—?" Toushirou started.

"Nope, I don't have to wear them anymore. Since I don't have Kamikaze…there's no reason for me to wear them. My reiatsu right now…I can hold it in just fine. Can you feel _any_ reiatsu flowing from me?" Karin interrupted.

"No, now that I try searching for it, I can't. Are you holding it in?" He replied.

"Yea, but it's subconsciously. When I was younger, I held it in so I wouldn't attract Hollows when I was with Yuzu. After a while, it just stayed like that; stuck inside and never coming out." Karin answered.

"You shouldn't hold everything in. If you keep doing that, it'll take a toll on your body." He reprimanded.

"It would do well to heed your own advice." Hyourinmaru mentioned.

"I shan't heed it until I am ready. I've already admitted the truth to myself, admitting that to _her_ is a completely different situation. I may be a Captain and very capable in many things I do, but I do not wish to lose my friendship with Kurosaki. As Matsumoto said, she is one of the _few_ friends I have…maybe the _only_ friend I have." Toushirou snapped.

"I know, but I'm okay." She mumbled into his chest.

"You shouldn't need to _mumble_ that to keep yourself afloat." He said.

"I know, but I'm okay." She repeated.

"You're beginning to sound like me." He sighed.

"I know, but—" She started.

"Shush, stop. Don't turn into my copy. You're Kurosaki Karin; you do not mope," he declared, "and you definitely do not sound like Kira-Fuku-Taichou and I. We brood, you smile. Keep that smile on your face; I'd rather see that than a frown."

"Master, this is one more step forward. I am proud of your courage; you are progressing…slowly." Hyourinmaru congratulated.

"It's a simple truthful statement, nothing more." Toushirou murmured shyly.

"Thanks Toushi didn't know you were so _emotional_. Thanks Toushi, I mean that." Karin smiled.

"_That_ is what should be on your face, not a frown. A frown belongs on _my_ face, not yours." He sighed in relief.

"No, no it doesn't. A smile belongs on your face too you idiot." She beamed.

She raised her hands and propped her fingers up at the corners of his mouth. Before she could accomplish her mission, she started laughing uncontrollably at his irritated and displeased face.

"Come on Toushi, it's just a smile. Is it gonna kill you?" She laughed.

"I'm not sure, it might. My face muscles have a hard time moving that way." He teased.

"Well watch out then, when we're in Soul Society, I'll be doing that more often." She grinned.

"I'd like to see you try." He snorted.

"Is that a challenge?" She inquired with a quirked brow.

"It might be; it's how you see it." He recited with a smirk.

"Then I accept." She smirked.

"Good Deal." He grinned.

_Outside:_

"Finally, he's making some progress. Hmm, maybe he only makes progress when they're alone. Yea, he's probably afraid of ruining his image. No, because he'll start fighting with her over stupid shit even when they're with other Captains. Hmm, maybe he's just really stupid and shy?" A voice said.

"Jinta-kun, I don't think Hitsugaya-Taichou is stupid _or_ shy. Urahara-san says he's a genius." Another voice declaimed.

"Oh shut up Ururu, I know I'm right. How would _you_ know anyways? You're a _girl_; you don't understand the minds of _men_." He scoffed.

"I do too. I just don't understand them as well as you do. Come on, we should go back home. They seem to be fine." Ururu advised.

"Fine, I'll go." He grumbled.

_Inside:_

"Ka—Kurosaki, we should head back home. I doubt you've received enough sleep to fix those mental and psychological wounds of yours." Toushirou suggested.

"Actually, I'm wide awake for some reason. I came here…I don't know how, but when I realized I was here, I was fine." Karin stated.

"Even so, _I_ need some sleep. We'll depart tomorrow if you'd like. If not, then we can depart the day after tomorrow. It's better to leave as quickly as possible so you can return to your daily life. I'm sure you wouldn't want to stay in Soul Society for more than the necessary time." Toushirou dictated.

"We can leave tomorrow since I have Zazuri remember? It'll be like I never really left. She's got a few differences, but she's practically the same. Come on, you should go get some sleep." She retorted.

"Ah, it shall be a long day tomorrow." He mumbled.

_Next Day_:

_Urahara Shoten:_

"Kurosaki-chan, what will you do about school and your sister?" Kisuke asked.

"I'm leaving Zazuri in my body. She knows how to take care of Yuzu and everything else. She just has a few delayed emotions, but otherwise, you're a genius—she's just like me." Karin smirked.

"Hurray, I'm a genius! I'm a genius! I'm a genius! I'm a gen—!" He sang before Yoruichi punched him.

"Karin, give this to Soi Fon for me all right? Don't let those morons at the Academy outshine you; you're my student. If you even _lose_ in a race, I'll come hunting for you, got it?" Yoruichi threatened.

"Y—Yes, crystal clear." Karin gulped.

"Good, well have fun." Yoruichi smiled.

"I thought she was gonna kill me on the spot." Karin thought.

"_She might've."_ A voice whispered.

"Awesome, I'm starting to hear voices!" She beamed.

"Kurosaki-chan, that's usually not a good sign." Kisuke commented.

"Heh, Karin's _really_ going insane now." Jinta snickered.

"It's probably my Zanpakutou trying to talk to me." She growled.

"No, he's not much of a talker…unless it's a sarcastic remark. Remember, your Zanpakutou is _you_, just a bit different." Jinta reminded.

"So it's a guy. All I have to do is look for a guy in my head." She smiled.

"I think she's missing the point." Jinta sighed.

"Kurosaki, the gate is opening." Toushirou informed.

"Oh right, almost forgot. Zazuri, remember to keep watch for Yuzu. Keep her safe from that one guy in class who keeps pestering her. And don't eat too many sweets, they'll kill our figure." Karin instructed.

"Karin, I didn't know you were so self-conscious and vain." Ichigo commented.

"I'm not, you can't move as quick when you're fighting Hollows and playing soccer if you're not lithe." She stated.

"Yea, that's a super Karin-like answer." Ichigo sighed.

"Only Kurosaki would reply like that." Toushirou sighed.

"What, it's true." She huffed.

"All right, go on you three. You're wasting time chit-chatting here." Kisuke sang.

"Bye you guys!" Karin called before running through.

"Thank you for your services Urahara." Toushirou thanked before leaving.

"Urahara-san, tell Kon to keep an eye on Yuzu for me." Ichigo requested before leaving.

"They fret over that girl too much. What'll happen when she wants to move away from Karakura Town?" Kisuke wondered aloud.

"They'll have to suck it up and take it. Like Karin says: Suck it up cupcake, suck it up." Jinta responded.

_Soul Society:_

"Welcome back Karin." Ichigo smiled.

"Heh, it's been a while since I was last here. I'll have to see everyone after I see Jii-Jii. All right, let's go!" Karin beamed.

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><p><strong>AUTHOR'S NOTES &amp; TRANSLATIONS (AGAIN):<strong>

1) Speed Up, Ace

2) 50°F/10°C

As usual, I thank _Everyone_ who took the time to read/review this chapter of _The Substitute Squad Captain_. *Bows in Appreciation*

**PLEASE REVIEW!**

~sayo-chan

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